Lives Collide
by Steely Spearmint
Summary: Penelope Lynx isn't the only newcomer at the Phantomhive manor. Despite their varied pasts and personalities, the angels, demons, humans, vampires, reapers, and other assorted beings had no idea that their lives were about to become more complicated than ever. [Adapted from an RP.] [Many Pairings] [Sequel to Just a Matter of Faith] -HIATUS ENDING-
1. Prologue - Chapter 1

**A/N:**You don't have to read Just a Matter of Faith or the stories behind other OCs in order to understand anything here, but this fic takes place after season 2 of the anime. ...Okay, more like a season 2 which doesn't end with Ciel turning into a demon, and somewhat mixed with bits of the manga.

**Warnings: **Language, mature content (which will be mostly 'timeskips' unless there are requests for lemons), same-sex relationships, cracky pairings, weird timelines, insane plots, mpreg, OOCness, OCs, stuff that shouldn't exist during Ciel's time period, plots that end unresolved...if you can think it up, it's probably here or about to be.

**Disclaimers: **I don't own Kuroshitsuji, the roleplay that is the basis of this fic, certain OCs, and what OCs and canon characters that aren't mine say since I'm trying to keep the original dialogue and actions.

_Special Notes: _Roleplayer credits will be given at the end of each chapter and kept disconnected from their characters to protect from bashing and such. PM me if you want your name associated with a character/OC and I'll add it in the credits. If you don't want your name in the credits, your character/OC in this fic, or have some other issue, then politely PM me as soon as possible.

_Also...: _I apologize in advance if the writing style isn't up to par with what you're used to reading or the style in my other fics - the beginning of the roleplay is mostly dialogue and simple actions so I have to add little details from time to time, plus the post threads can be hard to follow and organize. We get a lot better at description and dialogue later.

This is the very beginning up to where my characters come into the story, written on request. Therefore, all of this stuff will also be posted in the first chapter of Part I in case some people decide to skip the Prologue entirely. If there's anything I've forgotten or should mention don't be afraid to let me know :)

* * *

_=Ciel, Lao, Mey-Rin, Ran-Mao, Sebastian=_

"Sebastian, please let me grab the dishes for you!" Mey-Rin asked the demonic butler while he was preparing some sort of food.

"May-Rin, do you remember what happened last time I gave you the dishes?"

"Well Sebastian, that was...was because you were talking! If I'm not being distracted by an extremely hot butler, then I'd be fine!"

"Fine, I will trust you with the dishes this once, Mey-Rin. Don't disappoint me or there will be consequences."

Mey-Rin snatched an expensive Italian tea set down from its place in the China cabinet and ran down the hall with it until she tripped, falling to the floor and shattering the entire set. "Oh CRAP! Oh, Sebastian is going to _kill_ me!" Thinking quickly, she pulled the rug up and swept the debris under it.

"Mey-Rin, is there any hope for you at all, I wonder?" the demonic butler - who'd seen everything - sighed and hit the maid hard on the head.

"OWWWWWWWWWW!"

"If you would conduct yourself more like a Phantomhive servant I wouldn't have to punish you."

"If you weren't hot, I'd be fine! Anyway, don't you need to go serve your boc-chan? I'll get more dishes," she looked up the stairs toward Ciel's study, "He's giving us a bad rep."

Sebastian smirked slightly. "He is sleeping presently, and as a butler of the Phantomhive estate it would simply be unthinkable to wake the young master."

"You say that, but what if the estate was on fire?"

"Why, I would bring Ciel in his bed, of course. Are you planning on setting the estate on fire?"

The pink-haired maid put a pack of matches in a pocket. "Maybe, maybe not. You're not my supervisor! This~ girl is on fiirrrrrrrreeee~!"

"I'm afraid that I am, Mey-Rin." Sebastian's eyes glowed red as the maid started to sing.

"Nope, you're only here because the master likes flawless cuties that can cook," Mey smiled to herself at the thought of the young master being gay.

"Then what ate you here, my love? You are clearly incapable of doing the simplest of jobs."

"Sex appearance. I'm that hot. But I wonder why you go out with the young master sooo much - how do you feel about the young master getting married one day?"

"I don't have to explain myself to you."

"Admit you love the young master, or I'll show him the photograph..." Mey laughed evilly.

"Which photograph?"

"The Photograph... You know the one I'm talking about."

The demonic butler gulped slightly. "If you do, I will make your life hell."

"Does the young master know?"

"I would be more concerned about your own wellbeing right now because I will kill you if you show it to anyone."

"Okay, but you need to do something for me..."

"And what would that be?"

"Get me a pair of the young master's underwear. And you can't ask any questions as to why. Oh, and make sure they've been worn," Mey-Rin rubbed her hands together and grinned evilly.

Sebastian did as she asked, but swore to eat her soul if he was going to regret the decision.

"Okay, thank you. Now, tell me about this photograph - I have no idea what it's of, but it's gotta be good... I mean, you just stole a pair of underwear from the young master."

"To hell with this, I am going to kill you!" The demonic butler grit his teeth angrily and got his silver knives out.

"OH SHI-" In another flash of inspiration the maid grabbed a wand that was on display and put a friendship spell on the demonic butler. "Now play nice or I'll grab the photograph from your bedroom."

"Try it and you will see what hell really looks like."

"Now Sebbyy-poo, I'll stick this want up somewhere where the sun doesn't shine, or...do you like that kind of thing?" she laughed, "And I'm already in hell - I have this A-hole for a supervisor."

"I am not going ot go along with such childishness then. I am going to work, and I expect you to do the same."

"God, you're no fun! Get that stick out of your as and maybe you'll be a little more chipper," the maid pouted.

"I will when you will."

I'm medicated; there is a difference. Also, this wand is plastic...and from a Barbie playset."

"Maybe we should put you in an insane asylum. I am sure you can have as much fun as you want in there, after all, you'll be with like-minded people."

"Ciel just loves to have me around...we're lovers, after all."

"Young master deserves better than you."

"Jealous much? He has a kink for uniforms, so there's still hope for you."

"He is mine, no one else's."

"Oh Sebby, maybe I should let you sleep with him once. He is amazing~! He can do this thing with his finger..._kyaaaaa~_ Hehehe~"

"Don't call me Sebby, please."

"Fine..." the maid paused. "The young master has slept for a long time... I wonder if he's okay." She blushed a little.

Deciding to tease Mey a little, Sebastian moved closer to her and placed a finger on her lips. "We wouldn't want to wake the young master, now would we? After all, he is a child. We don't have many nights to ourselves do we, my love."

As expected, Mey-Rin blushed crimson and started to nosebleed. "Seb-bastian, no-no we don't."

"Then surely it's all right if we have the night. After all, the night is when interesting things happen."

"But... But I can't - it would be... Oh Sebastian, it's okay." Mey giggled and grabbed his hand, knowing that she wouldn't be able to deny him.

Then Lau, of all people, walked into the room. "Well! Isn't this a lovely little chat room! Don't you agree, Ran-Mao?"

The elaborately costumed girl in question nodded.

"Yes indeed! I do enjoy this! ...So what's going on here?" Lao's lips curled upward slightly when he noticed the maid and the demonic butler.

"Oh my! It was nothing indecent! I'm gettin' back to work, I am!" Mey quickly moved away only to trip over the carpet.

Sebastian chucked at Mey's clumsiness. "Nothing yet."

"You're so cruel..."

"And you are so amusing."

"Okay, that wasn't suspicious at all!"

Ran-Mao sighed as Lao stated the obvious. _"Moron."_

"Well would you and Ran-Mao like some tea?"

"Yes, that would be quite lovely! What about you, Ran-Mao?" The Chinese girl nodded and was hugged in response. "Wonderful! See how we are on equal brain waves?!"

_"Why do I do this again?"_ Ran-Mao thought to herself as she was squished.

"Then allow me to escort you to a guest room while Mey-Rin gets the tea set, which isn't going to break," Sebastian bowed slightly.

"Please do. I take it the Earl isn't home currently?"

"He is in his room at the moment; my poor young master was so tried from trying to entertain his guests last night that I hope you can accept my humblest apologies that he isn't here to greet you - the young master still has a bedtime he has to abide to due to his status as a child."

"Yes, he is a _young _ earl, but a master should never leave his servants alone. The young earl really..."

Sebastian ignored the Chinese man's rambling and glanced back at Mey, who was brushing off her clothes.

Light flashed off of the maid's glasses as Ciel's underwear fell out of her pocket, but hopefully no one saw. Dmn... Sebastian, you can make tea. I've decided not to fall for your looks, as you're like most other men."

"You will find that I am not like most men, I am merely on hell of a butler. And nice underwear, Mey-Rin. Is it yours?" the demonic butler smiled evilly.

"Sorry to disappoint, but mine are lace. If he were awake, the young master would kill you...for being a creep and stealing his worn underwear."

_"Perv,"_ Ran-Mao thought as she glanced at Sebastian.

...

"Where is the tea?" Sebastian asked Mey later.

"I'm going to get it now," the maid stuck her tongue out, "I'm just taking my sweet time."

"And for Pete's sake, don't break the tea set."

"Whatever...perv."

Sebastian ignored the rude hand gesture being directed at him and poured tea for their guests. "Allow me then."

"I didn't break anything."

"Well done, Mey-Rin. See, when you put your mind to it you can actually be competent.

"So, what is your business here, Lau?" The demonic butler turned back to his guest.

The Chinese man sipped the tea that was offered to him. "Oh I had some trade exports misplaced recently and I thought the earl may be interested in them."

"It was probably stolen by one of your customers. Your trade is highly addictive, after all."

"Yes, my opium is highly addictive, but still talking about the jab out of my foreign trade company... Recently, a very out product was stolen from me."

"Well you're welcome to spend the night...in separate beds, of course. "Mey frowned at Lao and Ran-Mao before turning back to Sebastian. "Now if only you could bring that same happy attitude to your job..."

"I am hurt that you can even say that. I bring a happy attitude, one that is expected of a servant of the Phantomhive estate."

"Well I have a plan for those underwear...just you wait."

"You mean the ones you stole? Yes, I believe it will be very difficult to explain that away. Especially with this," Sebastian smirked as he held up a picture of Mey-Rin with Ciel's underwear in her pocket. "Anyway, Mr. Lau, do you have any suspects or people that would want to hurt your business? I will tell the young master presently when he wakes."

"Where the bloody hell did you get that?! Are you still jealous?!" The enraged maid shrieked.

"Easy. I am simply one hell of a butler and just getting even. Now, now, no tempers in front of our guests, love."

"...Come by my room later."

"Certainly."

Lau was, fortunately, too busy thinking to notice the Phantomhive staffs' quarrel. "Well, for this specific item, there's really not that many suspects," he allowed Ran-Mao to settle against his chest. "Yes...you'd never think anyone would want to steal rabbits, would you?"

Sebastian paused at the mention of rabbits. "Yes, humans do often do the unexpected."

"Yes, but they were...special rabbits..."

"Then they probably mistook it for your opium and will be back tonight."

Lau shook his head in disagreement. "Even if they were after my opium, I am not happy that they took my rabbits instead."

That's when Ciel made his unexpected appearance. "Sebastian! Where are my underwear!? Oh...what are you doing here, Mr. Lau?" the young earl quickly realized he had company.

Sebastian explained, and then, much softer, added, "Your maid is currently hiding then in her pocket, young master."

"What is she doing with them?"

"I believe that Mey-Rin said something about needing them to help her sleep. Human ways never fail to astonish me."

"Well...err...um...back to the case at hand...

"Then how much does your opium cost?" Ciel asked the Chinese man when his demonic butler was finished.

"Hmm... It really depends on the buyer and the place, but my honest worry is the stolen...rabbits."

"What is the price tag for those 'rabbits?'" Ciel then asked. He still wasn't sure if the Chinese man was hiding something from him or not.

"Oh well, the American laboratory that they were going to asked about five hundred thousand dollars per rabbit."

"This is... You and that cheap whore of yours need to shop dealing with the drug lords. I'll see what I can do...however, I'll need a deposit of, let's say, three thousand pounds."

Lau waved a finger suddenly. "Oh, but the Queen's watchdog wouldn't want what the Queen herself wanted to be stolen, eh?" An order request appeared in his hand and he offered it to the young earl with a flourish.

"What does it say, young master?"

Ciel, irked that the Queen herself ordered these 'rabbits,' decided that Sebastian needed a snarky reply. "To up the dosage on that maid's meds. She's nuts, but I did see you two getting _more acquainted_...a little earlier."

"Honestly, young master, children shouldn't see such things like that. I will top up her dosage as soon as I can."

"No, I need her lucid, not dead. Anyway, back on topic: why were you trying to screw my maid?" Speaking of screw...oh yes, Ciel still had Lau to deal with... "Uggh, bloody hell. Fine then, Mr. Lau."

The Chinese man in question grinned. "Delightful~ Right, Ran-Mao?"

Ran-Mao nodded. "Rabbits..."

"Special rabbits."

Ciel glared at the two. "Who is the latest group that you managed to pss off?"

"That's why we're here. I haven't been annoying anyone... Well, not anyone who would find use in the rabbits."

But Ciel was addressing Sebastian again. "Research Lau and stay away from _my_ maid." He hadn't contracted with the demonic butler to run around and try to screw the new maid. _"It's almost as if he was a damn animal!"_

"Yes my lord," Sebastian bowed, "But honestly, young master, it is not appropriate for you, a noble, to use such vulgar language. I will discuss this with you at another time, as I am afraid that it would hurt your reputation if it continued in front of the guests."

"What do I care? It's in front of a drug lord." Ciel snapped just as Lau said, "Oh no, I don't mind a bit, butler. Do you, Ran-Mao?"

The girl shook her head.

"Then I'll have the lecherous butler find them," Ciel smirked and Sebastian immediately began debating within himself on whether he would benefit from killing Lau in the near future or not.

"Would you like something to eat?" the demonic butler offered with his usual smirk.

"Yes, just no carrots, please." Lau nodded.

"And I will have something sweet. Make it snappy." Ciel smirked again.

"Certainly. "I shall start the preparations immediately. Come along, Mey-Rin."

"Bite me," was the maid's new response. "And hello, master Ciel."

Ciel looked the maid over but didn't respond.

...

"I believe that is one for me, don't you agree?" Sebastian asked Mey-Rin as they walked to the kitchen. "And the best part is that I still have the photos."

...

"Make some tea, and then give me a report on what you've discovered," Ciel instructed his demonic butler. "And Mr. Lau, please tell me what Mey-Rin and Sebastian were talking about. I'd very much like to know."

"Oh, just the most interesting conversation...that Ran-Mao will tell you about."

Ran-Mao didn't even miss a beat. "Your maid was horny."

"..."

Lau rose. "But sadly, Ran-Mao and I must take our leave. Good luck finding my rabbits...before they find you."

_=Caleb, Ciel, Elora, Gabriel, Sebastian=_

A woman of average height dressed in a dark traveling cloak knocked on the door of the Phantomhive manor. Had she been able to see the person who greeted her, she'd have been surprised to take note of a young teenager with slate blue hair, expensive clothes, and an eyepatch over one eye. At least she could tell that the door had been opened and the person opening it was small of stature, if the light, quick footsteps were anything to go by.

"Hello!" the woman smiled sweetly. "It's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Elora."

"Hello, miss. My name is Sebastian. Can I ask what you are doing at the Phantomhive manor?" A voice that didn't match the boy's footsteps asked. How eerie.

"Are you here to help find the 'bunnies?'"

So she'd been greeted by two people, and there were no other voices nearby... Elora's smile faltered a little. "It seems I have lost my way. I asked a coach driver to take me to an inn somewhere and he dropped me off here. Am I in the wrong location, and must I know about these bunnies in order to enter?"

Sebastian looked up at the darkening sky. It wouldn't do to send a woman in this state back to where she came from, as she could end up stranded again if the weather got extremely vicious. "It seems that the coach driver took you in the wrong direction. This is the Phantomhive manor, miss."

"It'll have to do." Elora rushed inside. "I can't afford to catch a cold...or anything in general."

"Then I will make you some tea!" Mey-Rin exclaimed and quickly passed through the room.

"Ugh," the boy sighed after a moment. "Come in. I'll have Sebastian and Mey-Rin make you some tea. You're in my manor, as I am Ciel Phantomhive, CEO of Funtom toys, and the Queen's watchdog. You are...?"

"If you must know, you can ask your butler. Anyway, how old are you? You sound young. Where are you?" Elora tentatively reached out in front of her for a face. "I can't 'see' you."

"What do you mean? I'm right here, out of the rain since I don't want my carpet wet." Ciel huffed." I am thirteen, and my butler is off doing his duties."

Elora turned in the general direction of Ciel's voice and lifted her overgrown blonde bangs enough so he could see the bandages over her eyes. "I'm blind."

"Oh, sorry." Ciel quickly took her hand to lead her to the parlor but Elora withdrew it.

"Don't worry, just lead and I'll follow. I have very good hearing."

"All right."

_WHAM!_

The front door had been opened slowly at first but a spontaneous surge of strength from the person pushing it practically sent it flying into an interior wall. "Ehheh..." a man in butler attire laughed nervously before-

_ WHAM!_

"Apologies for the intrusion," a second male had planted a hand on the first's back and pushed him forward with enough force to make him fall face-first into the ground (as he deserved for impeding him). A quick look around showed him that the only inhabitants within sight were a woman, another butler, and a child wearing an eyepatch. "Who is the master of this estate?"

Elora stopped dead in her tracks and whirled around at the noise. "Whose there?!"

The second male regarded Ciel curiously. "Oh... So you're the master of this manor, hmm? The door was open - we didn't break into the manor, we just didn't have the patience to wait for somebody to answer the door, what with the rain and all the sort," at this he bowed his head, closing his eyes with a smile, "However, I do apologize for my actions and ask that you forgive me, young Earl..."

"Young master Gabriel..." the new butler groaned from under the other's boot.

"Yes, Caleb?"

"May I get up?"

"Yes, you may indeed," Gabriel removed his boot and Caleb sprang up from the floor and immediately started to brush his tailcoat clean.

"What a mess..." Caleb murmured softly as he surveyed the damage.

"..." Ciel turned to see a hole in the wall with water dripping out of it and onto the carpet. "I just told Elora not to do that... You know what...get out! Out!" The young earl pushed the two rude newcomers back out into the rain so the water would remind them how to properly enter a house.

Elora couldn't help but chuckle a little as she listened to the commotion. "Come now, be a little kinder with them. I probably would have done the same before it started pouring!"

"Nope, this is my house. I don't want animals in my house. If they act like people, then they can come in."

"Look at them! I bet they're soaking wet; you can't leave them like that. Earl or not, you can't neglect someone that needs help." Elora chastised. Although she understood why he'd reacted the way he had, there was a draft coming from outside that worried her - if they didn't move somewhere else soon someone could catch cold.

Just then Mey-Rin reappeared with the tea cart. "Here is the tea," she grabbed a couple of cups only to fall and break them.

Before anyone knew what was happening Elora had reached out for the squealing maid only to end up with hot tea all over her cloak and dress - although she had good hearing, the blind woman had wound up with the wrong object in her hands.

"Oh my! I'm deeply sorry!" Mey-Rin cried while mopping up the excess tea with a towel.

It took so much effort not to scream... "Are you all right, Mey-Rin?"

"Yes, I'm fine, but the earl got tea on himself as well."

Cursing under his breath, Ciel stomped upstairs and managed to change clothes on his own.

"I'm perfectly fine," Elora chirped falsely. "But anyway, let me 'see' you."

Taking the boy's face in her hands, Elora felt over his features and tried to piece together his image in her head.

"Who might you be?" Elora asked as she sensed a new pair of people enter the room.

"I am Lao, and this is my adorable sister at heart..."

"...Ran-Mao." Ran-Mao quietly finished.

"I'm here because I was wondering if Ciel has found any of my rabbits."

The young earl quickly moved away from Elora and scowled. "I've discovered that you've managed to pss someone off. I know where the person is and I've also managed to track them enough to know their schedule."

A silver-haired man wearing a battered black hat and long back robes partially covered with a gray sash emerged from the shadows, grinning his head off. "Rabbits? Do you know where I could find one of those, um~ Lau?"

"Why are you in my manor?!" Ciel blanched at the sight of Undertaker. "In fact, why is _everyone_ breaking into my house?! I thought I lived in a safe place!"

"Well I heard that there was a gathering so I decided to take a look at my future customers," Undertaker grinned evilly, "and when I saw that pretty lady hanging onto Lau I thought that a woman's touch on my customers wouldn't hurt just because they know about those cosmetic items."

"It wasn't a gathering, it was a 'make Ciel mad by barging into his home when he wants to sleep' kind of thing, okay? And I do have one of the...er...um...bunnies."

* * *

[Roleplayer Credits]

CBI writer

DanelleSephton

Gelmra-Obsidian

XxXxHoneyBunnyXxXx (Emo)

JaneAusten13

Snow Woman


	2. Prologue - 2

**Warnings, Disclaimers, **and _Special Notes_ \- refer to those at the top of the Prologue's first chapter.

* * *

_=Ciel, Sebastian=_

"Sebastian, I want to ask you something..."

"And what would that be, my lord?" Sebastian asked Ciel.

"I went into Mey-Rin's room and...well, I looked all over the place for my underwear...and didn't find them. I checked _everywhere_ and now I'd like for you to try and find them, if it's not too awkward of a request."

Sebastian bowed. "Yes, my lord."

The demonic butler went into Mey-Rin's room and searched through her belongings, only to find a book that Ciel hadn't seemed to find. If the young earl had...Sebastian smirked at the pages full of Ciel pictures, hearts, 'Ciel forever's, and 'Mey-Rin Phantomhive's. Then Ciel's underwear appeared between two pages.

"Young master, I found them."

"Thank you; where did you find them?" Ciel quickly took his underwear and put it in his pocket.

"Inside this book, my lord."

Ciel cautiously took Mey's book and opened it. "Oh...my...God! What the hell?!"

"I know, young master. It is very disturbing."

"Not disturbing, horrifying!" Ciel turned a page to see a picture of Sebastian curled up next to a bunny. "Care to explain this"

"Certainly, my young lord. It was when we had that charity event. The bunny had such soft pads, such an exquisite look about it. I would put bunnies in competition with cats any day."

Ciel sighed in irritation. "Make me some tea and scones. We will deal with Mey-Rin later."

"Yes, young master."

...

"Is this Earl Grey?" Ciel asked as he took a small sip of tea.

"Yes, young master."

"Wonderful. Now, tell me, has the Queen sent any warrants?"

"No. We have the entire day to ourselves."

"...Have you walked Pluto?" Ciel folded his hands and smiled evilly. He knew how much Sebastian disliked the giant fire-breathing hellhound.

"Of course, young master. I find myself doing more for you because you amaze me - every day, your soul becomes more enticing."

"Hmm, I think you don't actually like me, you're just hungry for my soul. Mey-Rin has a kink for demons, doesn't she?"

"Everything is a separate priority when it comes to souls. I simply enjoy Mey-Rin's reactions."

"Hmm..."

"Excuse me, young master, but I have some things to talk to Mey-Rin about."

"Of course. I will be in the bath."

_=Mey-Rin, Sebastian=_

Mey-Rin looked up from her chores as Sebastian walked into the room. "Oh...hello Sebastain. Beautiful morning, isn't it?"

"Yes, and if my memory serves me correctly you still have to win over those photos of yourself with Ciel's underwear."

The maid blushed furiously. "I'll tell the master about the photograph!"

"You are adorable when you blush like that, you know?"

"Wha-what do you want?! Does the young master need tea or anything?"

"Hmm..." The demonic butler smirked. "A kiss or two would suffice."

"What...?"

Sebastian smirked as he approached the maid. "You heard me."

"Sebastian..." But Mey-Rin didn't back out of the kiss when it came. In fact, she found herself leaning into it, wrapping her arms around the demonic butler's neck.

"Sebastian..._Sebastian! _What the hell did I say about playing with my maids?! I know how you got info out of that nun, and I don't need info out of Mey-Rin!"

"You are no fun, master." Sebastian sighed at the earl emerging from the bathroom.

"I don't care about fun! You are... Oh God!" Ciel turned and glared at Mey-Rin. "Go make lunch or something else that's useful!"

"You seen angry, my lord." Sebastian observed as the maid left the room in a hurry.

"No really?! I told you not to go around screwing my maids! You defied me!"

"I never defied you, I was just kissing her. There was no intention of going further than that, young master."

"Didn't you say that about the nun as well?!"

"No; you ordered me to get the information from her no matter what it took."

"Well, I didn't say you needed to shove your...crayola up her haha."

"Then perhaps you should be clearer about your orders, young master. Ever since we were contracted, I am obligated to obey all of your orders. Every single one of them. Without fail, until the day you get your revenge."

"You just needed a lay! You're going to burn in hell unless you stop French kissing my maid and find out who stole Lau's rabbits."

"But I am going to hell regardless of what you say, young master."

Ciel huffed. "I suppose so..."

Before the young earl could go on a girl with curly blonde pigtails in a bright pink dress glomped him. "Cieel~! I'm back! Did you miss me, Ciel?"

"Lizzy, what are you doing here?!

"I came to see you, silly! I missed you so much!"

Sebastian smirked at the couple, back in butler mode. "Do you wish for me to prepare some tea for Lady Elizabeth and yourself?"

"Yes, please do, and send Mey-Rin to me," Ciel nodded. "I missed you too, Lizzy. How were your travels?"

"It was brilliant! Paula and I go to see these very cute dresses..."

...

Fortunately Sebstain caught sight of the maid on his way to the kitchen. "The young master wishes to see you," he notified her.

...

"Wonderful..." Ciel muttered as needed for Lizzy, even though he didn't care a bit about the cute clothing she'd found. "How long are you going to be here?"

Mey-Rin chose that moment to enter the room, so Lizzy didn't even get to speak. "You must stop flirting with and seeing Sebastian, or you'll die."

"Wh-what do you mean!?" the maid nervously played with a few strands of magenta hair.

"You know exactly what I mean! Now go walk Pluto with Sebastian so that dog doesn't make a mess if he comes in later. And don't do anything...indecent."

The maid sheepishly nodded.

"Here is your tea," Sebastian bowed before filling a pair of china cups, choosing to ignore everything else that didn't affect his job. "I trust the Lady Elizabeth's journey here was pleasant?"

"Yes, it was very pleasant! ...May I ask if you are in a relationship with Mey-Rin?"

Sebastian only cocked his head to the side and put a finger on his lips. "I think it's best if we don't discuss that in front of the young master. You know what jealousy is like."

"Of course!" Lizzy nodded excitedly. "We'll be talking about it later then!"

"When was I jealous?" Ciel cut in. "I've never been jealous of anyone."

"Sure you haven't. Is that why you ordered Mey-Rin away all the time now?"

"I ordered her away because she is a clumsy maid who screws up all the time! I need someone competent once in a while."

"I would recommend that you sit down and relax, as you are surely giving your lady the wrong image of yourself."

"Why?" Ciel huffed. "She doesn't seem to mind it. And don't you need to walk Pluto?"

"Fine." The demonic butler took the hint and left.

"..." Lizzy couldn't help but begin to wonder whether Sebastian and Ciel had feelings for each other. They did seem to be a lot closer than usual...

"Lizzy, I remembered that your birthday is coming up. What would you like?" The young earl blushed slightly at the random topic he'd chosen to suddenly distract his fiancée.

"I want to spend time with you...alone."

"Alone?" Ciel's eyes widened in surprise. "Umm, Sebastian, do I have anything from the Queen?" He leaned close to the demonic butler's ear and hissed, "Please say I have work to do!"

"I am sorry, young master, but I don't lie. That was one of your requirements, wasn't it? You may produce young heirs yet - the Phantomhives always produce such mouthwatering souls." The demonic butler smirked.

"And yet what did you do with a nun? You're a horrible butler."

Sebastian couldn't help but chuckle before raising his voice so Lizzy could hear. "The young master has no work duties that day, so you can spend as much time as you wish with him."

Lizzy's green eyes sparkled. "Yay! We'll go for a walk and talk a lot... And...Ciel, I need to talk to you about something...alone, please."

"My dear Elizabeth, would you like to walk in the garden with me while Sebastian picks up Pluto's leavings?"

Sebastian frowned, annoyed, as he took the hint. "Certainly, my lord. I shall do so immediately."

Ciel and Lizzy walked to the gardens as Sebastian left to scoop poop.

"Ciel, your butler, Sebastian, had some weird aura around him... He's almost inhuman."

"Yes, but he's not of any importance. You are, my dear." the earl gently kissed Lizzy's hand.

"B-But... There's something wrong with him! I think he is a...a vampire!"

"Don't talk like that, you and I know that there's no such things as vampires. In fact, everyone knows that." the young earl tugged on his shirt collar a little as if the garden was getting a little stifling.

"Then if he's not a vampire, then he's got to be a demon!"

"All right, and what if he was? I mean, it isn't possible either." How in the world did Lizzy come to this conclusion in the first place?!

"...It really is hard to play a joke on you."

"Demons don't exist anyway, silly girl." Ciel kissed her hand again to distract her.

_=Elora, Sebastian=_

Elora, fed up with all of the yelling outside, slammed the door to her room open. "Would you all kindly keep it down? I'm going to get a migraine if the noise level stays like this!"

"Good afternoon, young mistress. I am terribly sorry about the noise - my young master and his fiancée are currently out of the house so it should be quieter now. Sorry for the inconvenience, madam," Sebastian recited smoothly.

"For now. I'd rather you all keep quiet for the next hour but that's probably not going to happen." Elora sighed but shivered at the demonic butler's tone. "Actually, I think I'm going to go out for a walk instead."

"Would you like me to assist you? Certainly a blind woman such as yourself would find it difficult to walk through the garden by herself."

"...What time is it?"

"Seven o'clock, my lady."

Elora's voice took a slightly panicked tone. "N-No. I'll be perfectly fine. I may not look it but I am very capable, so please don't worry yourself and go do whatever butlers do in their spare time."

_"Something is off about her."_ Sebastian thought to himself as he watched Elora turn and practically stumble up the steps. He decided to trail her silently in case she had a mind to steal something.

Since Elora didn't hear any footsteps besides her own, she decided to explore the manor in secret. During her 'looking' through all of the rooms she could find, her fingers found the familiar, curved body of a violin and its bow lying nearby. "What have we here?" She picked up the violin, testing the size and weight. "Not as heavy as a cello, nor as large... I wonder if it sounds any different." After a few experimental bows she figured out how to hold the instrument and tune it to perfection.

Sebastian chuckled quietly to himself but Elora caught the noise and whirled around.

"Who's there?!"

"..."

"Come on out, I know you're there."

The demonic butler waited until Elora's resolve began to waver before he chuckled. "Do you intend to beat me to death with that bow?"

Elora couldn't help but flush in embarrassment, but she did lower the bow held in front of her body like a rapier. "No. I wouldn't have enough money to pay for it. Anyway, I don't think we have really introduced ourselves yet. I'm Elora."

"My name is Sebastian, and I am the butler of the Phantomhive estate."

"It's a pleasure to meet you. Anyway, I should probably be going." Something about his voice and the way she couldn't hear him despite her heightened senses unnerved the blind woman enough to make her want to end the conversation and run out of the manor as soon as possible.

Unfortunately, she didn't make it very far, as Sebastian quickly grabber her wrist.

"I do believe you forgot to put the violin away. Someone could get hurt."

"Oh please. Who could I possibly hurt? It's just a violin - unless you're allergic to music I find no trouble in it."

"Who indeed? It could damage your ears. I believe that once a person has lost one of their senses the others make up for them, resulting in acute hearing in your case. Wouldn't it be terrible if those ears went as well? Then you would only have smell and touch and taste. Ignorance is bliss, Elora. Learn it or I am afraid you may cause trouble for yourself."

"Fine," Elora bit her lip a little in response to the subtle threat and handed over the violin.

"Thank you for being so cooperative."

_=Ciel, Sebastian=_

"Was there really anything between Mey-Rin and yourself?" Ciel randomly asked the butler later.

"I have no feelings towards Mey-Rin. You should know by now that a demon cannot feel love, as it is physically impossible."

"Good, then don't interact with her."

* * *

[Roleplayer Credits]

AnimexXxGoddess

CBI writer

XxXxHoneyBunnyXxXx (Emo)

Snow Woman


	3. Prologue - 3

**Warnings, Disclaimers, **and _Special Notes_ \- refer to those at the top of the Prologue's first chapter.

* * *

**A/N: **Please let me know if you see any spelling/grammar/crediting errors! My first priority is to type up the entire roleplay and post it, so I don't always proofread as well as I should.

As FF won't let me paste the current Anime Roleplay link (in case anyone is interested in joining the Kuroshitsuji (or another) topic), I'd advise following the link on my profile page.

* * *

_=Lizzy, Sebastian=_

"Hello." Lizzy pouted at Sebastian.

"Hello, Lady Elizabeth."

"Ciel didn't believe me when I played a joke on him! I even told him you were so inhuman that you may be a vampire or a demon because of your unusual eyes but he didn't even pretend to believe me..."

The demonic butler put on a very convincing but fake grin. "The young master is still a child. It wouldn't surprise me in the least if he believed those creatures to be real, but the fact that the young master has no sense of humor may be the cause."

Lizzy nodded, then happened to notice the time. "Oh no! I forgot to tell Paula that I'm here and I'm extremely late for my piano lessons! I have to go - goodbye!"

_=Elora, Sebastian=_

Grumbling under her breath, Elora wandered out into the woods bordering the Phantomhive estate in an attempt to find something worth exploring. It took a while, but she finally felt her way into a clearing with at least one waterfall in it.

"What is this?!" She gasped, teetering on the edge of something that was a little too close to the sound of falling water for comfort before a familiar grip on her arm pulled her to safety.

"Where did you come from!? Have you been following me this whole time?" Elora fumed at the demonic butler standing next to her.

"But of course. You are under the protection of the Phantomhives until we can find you some other place to stay. What sort of reputation do you think we'd have if I allowed you to walk to your death?"

The blind girl roughly shook him off and moved away only to end up splashing into a pool of shallow water. "Shit! Now I'm wet! See what you've done!"

"..."

"...So could you kindly get me a towel?" Elora, suddenly back to her usual self, shivered slightly and tried to shake off the water.

Sebastian blanched at the blind woman's spontaneous change in personality. "Certainly. Wait one second please..."

Because of his demonic speed, it didn't take the demonic butler long to get back to the manor. A new guest was at the door... he had time to deal with the visitor.

_=Ciel, Daniel, Sebastian=_

"Hello?" A new visitor to the Phantomhive manor queried as he knocked at the door (which had been repaired).

"Hello." Sebastian greeted the tall man just as Ciel appeared behind him. It was clear that the young earl was not pleased that more people were invading his home.

"May I ask you why you are at my estate?"

"Hello. Have you seen a blind girl with blonde hair around here? I am Daniel, and she is my fiancée."

"I am sorry, but I don't understand who your fiancée is," Sebastian replied as Ciel quietly ordered him to "do some research on Daniel to see if his claim is legitimate, but stay away from the nuns."

"Yes, my lord." Sebastian replied even though he didn't need to do much research anyway. He already knew Elora's location and only needed more information on Daniel, which he could obtain fairly quickly once he was dismissed.

"Her name is Elora. It's hard not to notice a blind woman."

The demonic butler smirked. "Ah. I do believe the last time I saw her, she was trying to walk off a cliff."

"...Sounds like something she'd do." Daniel replied.

Ciel frowned at the newcomer. "Why did she run away?"

"She got cold feet at the last second."

"Uh-huh..." The young earl looked Daniel over.

"Where is the earl? Are you his son?"

"Don't insult me. I'm Ciel Phanotmhive, the earl of this manor."

At least Daniel had the decency to look a little sheepish. "Sorry...forgive me."

"Fine. Take a seat and my butler Sebastian will bring us some tea."

"Okay." Daniel nodded and sat just as the demonic butler in question brought out a tea service and served him and the young earl.

Sebastian waited until he'd caught Ciel's eye before muttering, "The blind girl is taking a bath in the waterfall."

"...What else have you found out?"

"They can't be trusted. Elora has some suspicions that I am not human, although I don't think she knows what I am. Daniel, on the other hand, smells of death."

"All right, I'll keep an eye on Daniel. You dig for more information on Elora."

"My doing whatever it takes to get information out of Elora - is what you are asking for, mater?"

"Yes, just don't do anything...indecent." Ciel looked up to regard his guest. "Elora may be in the study-"

He was cut off as Sebastian gestured to one of the windows. Elora's soggy form could easily be made out stumbling halfway across the grounds. "I believe I have found your lady."

"Thank you," Daniel nodded in gratitude. "We should go out to meet her. She looks a bit worn."

"...Seriously?! No running in my house!" Ciel hollered as he ran after his guest.

_=Ciel, Daniel, Elora, Sebastian=_

"Could this day get any worse?!" Elora groaned in impatience as she decided to start back to the manor. Fortunately, her sense of direction was good enough for her to get out of the woods, but she found herself frozen when she heard familiar footsteps and voices floating in her direction on the wind.

"I am glad you are safe, Elora." Sebastian's voice held some small sense of relief, but it didn't really feel genuine. The blind woman was about to reply but then heard the second voice.

"Hello, Elora."

"How..." At the sound of Daniel's voice Elora's pale face grew even paler. She quickly turned around and started running back the way she'd come.

"Why are you running?" Sebastian asked. He didn't get a reply so he chose to follow Daniel, who'd taken off after Elora without hesitation.

"Come back, love."

Elora chose to concentrate on getting as far away from Daniel as possible instead of wasting breath in order to explain herself. Not caring if branches and twigs cut into her face or clothing, she only ran faster across the property. _"Like hell I'd be stupid enough to do that..."_

"You always were stubborn..." Daniel huffed as he tried to keep up.

Sebastian managed to get to Elora first, tackling her to the ground and pinning her arms and legs. "Hello."

"What the hell do you think you're doing!? DO YOU WANT ME TO GET KILLED?!" The blind woman shrieked and got an arm free. One good punch to Sebastian's face later and she was up and dashing to the deeper part of the forest where the waterfall was.

Sebastian held his face and waited for Ciel while Daniel continued to run after Elora.

Ciel smirked at the demonic butler. "You got punched by a girl..."

"If getting you killer or maimed is the only way why I can get information out of you, then so be it. Or perhaps I will have to use a more subtle approach, one that I know works when getting women to talk." Sebastian chose to ignore his master and address Elora. Maybe Ciel would drop his current topic.

"What did I say about that?!"

The blind girl briefly turned her head in Sebastian's direction as she continued to run. "If you wish to have the honors then you best do it before _he _does! Shit...!" She gasped as her foot found the edge of the cliff she'd nearly stepped off of earlier. Now if only she could find the way into the pond...she could wade across to the other side. She wasn't desperate enough to throw herself off the edge and hope for the best. Yet.

"Sweetie, there's nowhere left to run." Daniel held his arms out to the terrified woman as he slowly started to close the distance between them.

Elora growled angrily. "How did you find me? No, the real question is: how many did you kill to find me?"

_"Daniel had to kill to learn his fiancée's location?" _Sebastian wondered to himself as he calmly approached Daniel from behind and knocked him out. Something wasn't right here, and he had orders to discover more information on Daniel before letting Elora out of his and his master's care. "Now Elora, please come down from the edge and tell us why you're really running away."

Elora opened her mouth to reply but flinched as Daniel easily got back up and grinned. "It takes more than a little demon to slow me down. Now come here to me; does it matter how many people I went through to find you?"

"Seriously? Ugh, I guess I must do things myself," Ciel decided to take the matter of saving Elora in to his own hands and punched Daniel in the jaw, knocking him out again. "That's how you do it, Sebastian."

"But is it really our concern if a wedding couple has a fight? Lots of them have conflicts, after all." The demonic butler tried to explain why he didn't use as much force as he would normally have.

"I guess not... Elizabeth and I have our share of fights and we're not even married."

"So, young master, shall we leave and let this young couple work things out?"

Ciel thought for a moment, taking the whole situation into consideration. "I guess not, considering that she's about to jump off a cliff."

"Humans do that every day though. There isn't anything special about the girl, and she is not an asset to us."

"Do as you must; I'm going back to the estate. You can help Mey-Rin clean the manor when you return...since Daniel left footprints everywhere."

"...Touch me again and I will kill you." Daniel got up again and brushed himself off. The chances of him being human were steadily getting slimmer now.

"The least the two of you can do is try and help me! Are you really that dense?! He's not my fiancée, he's an assassin! Isn't it all but obvious?!" Elora blanched. "And what kind of lie did you use to convince these poor souls that you're actually the protagonist in this tragedy? Did you tell them the 'long list sister with amnesia' tale again or 'the runaway bride?'"

"Does it matter?" Daniel laughed and advanced even more. "They were stupid enough to believe me. Just jump already."

"... Sebastian, save Elora!" Ciel suddenly whirled around to face Daniel as Sebastian snatched up Elora and dropped her beside the earl. "Daniel, who are you and why are you here?"

Knowing his cover had been blown, the man in question chose to back off...over the edge of the cliff. "I'm afraid I can't answer that. I'll see you soon, Elora."

"What the...?!" Ciel's usable eye widened at the stunt and he started forward before the thought that they may not be completely out of danger popped into his head. "Elora, run to the manor and hide!"

"Thanks - I'll explain everything to you later!" The blind woman used the others' footsteps as a guide to the manor.

"You'd better." Sebastian huffed irritably.

"Should I have Mey-Rin get the guns?" Ciel was already gasping for air.

"That would probably be wise."

"All right, they're upstairs in the study. I will tell her to bring them to us but keep some for herself."

"There's no need for that, he's gone now." Elora interjected.

...

"Care to explain why you have an assassin after you, and if he will now be a threat to my young master?" Sebastian finally asked once he'd helped Elora bolt and lock the door to the music room. It was the only room the woman could easily find for some reason, but they'd make it do.

"You could say that it's more of a 'being with the wrong type of people' situation." Elora bit her lip and found a chair to sit on. "If you don't know already, he's well-known for making deals back in London and helping people. Well, they are more like bets. He'd never lost to anyone before I came; I won against him and, filled with hatred and revenge, he hunted me down, burned my house, and killed all of my family and friends. He also..." she quickly gestured to her blindfold.

"I see." Ciel nodded. "You're free to stay here until we know for sure that he'll leave you alone."

* * *

[Roleplayer Credits]

AnimexXxGoddess

CBI writer

XxXxHoneyBunneyXxXx

Ruby of Raven

Snow Woman


	4. Prologue - 4

**Warnings, Disclaimers, **and _Special Notes_ \- refer to those at the top of the Prologue's first chapter.

_=Ciel, Elora, Daniel=_

Elora woke up in the middle of the night, but could only lie awake or shift restlessly instead of fall asleep again. Finally she decided to just get up and take the violin to the waterfalls. It wasn't the brightest decision she'd ever made, but she'd might as well make something out of such a crappy day.

Daniel, however, had not gone far from the manor. As soon as Elora left for the forest, he followed her and hid behind a boulder when she reached the falls. Perfect. Elora couldn't hear him approach closer because she'd started to play, humming and swaying along with the wonderful song.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?!" Ciel hissed from behind as he attempted to put Daniel in a chokehold.

"Elora!"

The blind woman stopped playing and turned around curiously. "Ciel? Why are you here? You should be sleeping, so go back to bed."

After a short scuffle the young earl found himself forced to freeze at knifepoint. "It's a standoff." Daniel grinned and murmured too lowly for Elora to hear. "You say anything and I'll slit your throat."

"We don't need that..." Ciel grit his teeth before he raised his voice for Elora. "Go back to the manor, I've got him."

Daniel tapped the earl's neck with the blade of the knife in warning.

"Got who? Dog get out or something?" Elora giggled at her bad joke. "Anyway, I'm feeling pretty tired myself so I'll see you tomorrow morning." She waved googdbye and headed back to the manor in much better spirits.

"See? Nothing is going to happen tonight; everything is going to be fine." Ciel smirked as a new figure appeared.

"Hi master, aren't you supposed to be in bed?" Mey-Rin smiled as she raised two 9-millimeter pistols at Daniel's head.

After a brief moment of consideration, Daniel let go of the young earl and raised his hands skyward in surrender. "Take him. I don't want the little brat." He slowly walked away into the woods but secretly sent a crow to spy on the boy and his household. "Have fun."

"Don't come back," the maid huffed.

"...Don't think I owe you one or anything." Ciel told Mey-Rin as they started back to the manor.

"I wouldn't think of it!"

"Then I am going back to the estate. Keep an eye out tonight."

"All right."

_=Ciel, Elora=_

Elora did manage to go back to sleep due to the comfort of the violin in hand, but was still lost in horrible nightmares of her past. "No...I'm sorry...I'm so...sorry..."

The soft sounds of Daniel's crow fluttering by the window and settling on a branch of a tall tree right outside the room nearly caused the blind woman to wake up screaming. Nearly mistaking Ciel's form for Daniel's as she jolted awake didn't help matters at all.

"He was in the forest." There was no way Elora could misinterpret who 'he' was.

"I should've known... I'm sorry I've dragged you into this mess. If anything, this is all my fault." Elora jumped as the crow started tapping at the window. "What's that?!"

Ciel's head snapped towards the disturbance. "...It's a crow."

"I hate crows. All shapes and forms of them." Elora managed as she finally rose and closed all the window curtains that she came across.

"I know what you mean, as they're known as 'death birds.' You don't need to worry though - Mey-Rin is in the forest keeping watch."

"Unless she can fly, that thing won't be leaving anytime soon. Even a gun won't be able to get it."

"Mey-Rin is an excellent shot. Why do you think I keep her around?"

Elora grumbled something that Ciel couldn't quite catch.

"You don't have to stay here in the music room. If you like, I can show you to a gust room."

"Anywhere without windows?" Elora shivered as Daniel's crow started tapping at the window again.

"We have a cellar... It's connected to the basement."

"Better than sleeping on the road, I guess."

"I was kidding. We do have a guest room without windows, don't worry." The earl frowned as more tapping came from the windows in the corridor outside. "Whoa, is that the same damn bird as before?"

"Oh most likely. They have quite a sense of humor."

"Sorry, when your parents die at an age when mine did you develop a dark sense of humor."

"And when your fiance is murdered in front of you and all of your loved ones are burnt to nothing while your eyes are ripped out tends to make you lose humor in general." Elora paused for a second longer than necessary, then started laughing randomly. "Did I get ya?"

"You win..."

"Yeah, I always win..."

Once Ciel showed Elora to the guest room and had gone off to bed, Elora started to feel along the walls and furniture with her hands. "IT'S SO BIG!"

_=Ciel, Elora, Daniel=_

[Roleplayer Credits]

CBI writer

XxXxHoneyBunnyXxXx

Ruby of Raven

Snow Woman


	5. Prologue - 5

**Warnings, Disclaimers, **and _Special Notes_ \- refer to those at the top of the Prologue's first chapter.

_Special Note: _Add random crossovers to other things my fellow rpers and I don't own to that Disclaimer list.

_=Ciel, Sebastian=_

Something didn't feel right. Nothing was disturbed, but there was an almost eerie feeling in the atmosphere.

The door to the windowless guest bedroom flew open as Sebastian and a half-awake Ciel burst in to make sure Elora was all right...

...only to find that she wasn't there. The violin lay, undisturbed, on a perfectly-made bed.

After an intense debate and search of the grounds, both master and servant agreed that Elora had left on her own free will. How she'd gotten out of her room without Sebastian sensing her or a key to open the bedroom door that had been locked from the outside by the demonic butler himself was baffling.

Both master and servant had a feeling that they would be seeing her again, however.

_=Lizzy, Sebastian=_

Lizzy burst into the Phantomhive manor bright and early, crying hysterically. "CIEL!"

"Hello, Lady Elizabeth." Sebastian bowed slightly, not disturbed in the slightest. Ciel, however, was another matter.

"Wha-What?!" The earl started as he was hugged tightly by his fiancée.

Sebastian smirked. "Good afternoon, young master."

"Hello," Ciel muttered when he saw his demonic butler. "Bring us some tea - Earl Grey."

_=Brin, Ciel, Mey-Rin, Sebastian=_

"Hello?" A woman with pale skin and straight black hair asked as she knocked on the front door of the Phantomhive manor. "Anybody home?"

Sebastian opened the door and regarded the new visitor curiously. "Good afternoon, who may you be?"

"I'm Brin. Nice to meet you, kind sir. I thought this house was abandoned."

"No, this house is fairly occupied."

"It just looks that way because people keep destroying it and I'm tired of fixing it," Ciel appeared beside his butler and cut in with a sigh.

Brin nodded. "I see that, but my boyfriend would have loved to have a place like this."

Sebastian felt a twinge of anger at the thought of Brin having a boyfriend and paused. Why... He took a deep breath and understood - her soul smelled delicious. "Then how come your boyfriend isn't with you?"

"Yes, who was your boyfriend, Brin?" Ciel asked before turning to his demonic butler. "Sebastian, what is wrong with you? You seem...freaky."

"Her soul...it smells divine. I want it."

"Well, we're both mad scientists, and he's working on a...project," Brin smiled, oblivious to the others' nearly inaudible conversation.

Ciel frowned. "Then we may need to lock her up in the basement."

Now that caught the woman's attention. "I am not going back to jail!"

"What are you talking about? Why did you mention jail?" Ciel quickly backtracked while giving his butler a look that clearly said, _"Don't do _anything _without my say."_

"Because I'm an _evil_ scientist. I have a tendency to do bad things that get me arrested."

"..."

"Hey! Don't even think about killing me!" Brin hollered from the cell Sebastian casually tossed her into.

Ciel shrugged. "We never said anything about killing you - just a small observation. Sebastian, go get Mey-Rin, I had her patrolling in the forest last night. Oh, and don't glare at me; I am your master."

"But why can't I eat her soul? She is one human; no one will miss her and I am so very hungry."

"If you're so hungry, then find out who killed my parents."

"Yes, my lord." Sebastian bowed, then left to find the clumsy, magenta-haired maid.

...

"What did you find?"

"Nothing. No one was out. The area was as quiet as a mouse." Mey-Rin frowned at Ciel, but glared at Sebastian.

The demonic butler was mildly surprised. "What's the glare for?"

"I heard everything..." the maid flipped the demonic butler off.

Hearing a new commotion at the top of the stairs, Brin shouted, "Hey, I'm still here! My boyfriend - Dr. Drakken, the guy who fights Kim Possible and has newfound mutant flower powers - will miss me and come and kill you all if you kill me!"

"I do not care who your boyfriend is, but I am afraid that it will take more than one person to take down the Phantomhives, my dear," Sebastian chortled.

Ciel almost wanted to smack the smirk off of his demonic butler's face. "What my incompetent butler is saying is we'd like to know more about you, isn't that right, Sebastian?"

"Indeed," Sebastian replied, completely unfazed even though Mey-Rin just ruined another tea set and spilled hot tea everywhere right in front of him. "Just say the word and I will get the information out of her. Of course, I won't go too far...like I did with the nun."

"Good, then get the information!"

Brin sweatdropped nervously. "How dare you try to touch me! I'll tell you whatever you want to know. No need to kill me or anything."

"Then what is the real reason behind why you came here? Are you an assassin?"

"No, I'm a mad scientist. I haven't killed anybody, I just tend to blow things up, and I'm not here to kill anybody either."

"And your boyfriend... Is he coming? If he poses a threat to the young master, I will kill him, you realize."

"No, probably not. He's busy at work. Plus, neither of us are much of a threat, just ask Kim Possible," Brin crossed her arms and pouted, already tired of the interrogation. "I was just looking for a new evil lair! It's not a crime..."

"What do you think, master? Shall we let her go and just keep an eye on her, or do something else?"

"Have May-Rin watch her," Ciel sighed, "she poses more of a threat than you do."

"If that is your wish, although I will be requesting a word with you later."

"Ugh, fine."

_=Ciel, Brin, Mey-Rin=_

"Hello, I'm Mey-Rin. I'm not going to do anything to you," the magenta-haired maid greeted Brin later, Ciel at her heels to make sure she didn't screw anything up.

Brin frowned. "I don't know how I'm supposed to react to that..."

"I'm not like that soulless bastard, I'm just a maid."

"Maybe I should just leave..."

"Do you want to become demon chow?" Ciel queried.

"Demons? Oh God... I'm going out for a walk right now."

_=Ciel, Lizzy, Sebastian=_

"Young master, it wouldn't be wise to let that Brin stay here. Her soul is too tempting. I believe she has a soul that could give the demon who eats it untold strength. That certainly would be useful in protecting you until you can get your revenge, but if you don't want her hurt, then you should let her leave. Even if you order me otherwise, my demonic instincts in the very core of my being command me to eat her soul."

"If she tells us everything she knows, you may eat her." Ciel stretched. "Draw me a bath, I need to relax.

"Yes, my lord."

...

The demonic butler had finished preparing the tub and waiting for Ciel to get in when a blur of pink, white, and blonde burst into the bathroom...and paused.

"..."

"Uh, Lizzy, I'm in my underwear and you're in the bathroom... Could you..._please_ wait outside?"

"But I _cannot_ wait! I'm - what's this mark on your side?"

Ciel quickly covered the brand with his hand. "Uh...it's a burn from the fire."

"Ah! I apologize for bringing up bad memories! But...I have to tell you... I'm- I'm pregnant."

"Okay...wait...WHAT?!"

[Roleplayer Credits]

AnimexXxGoddess

CBI writer

XxXxHoneyBunnyXxXx

Ruby of Raven


	6. Prologue - 6

**Warnings, Disclaimers, **and _Special Notes_ \- refer to those at the top of the Prologue's first chapter.

_**Extra Note: **_For those of you familiar with the original roleplay, Elora was around more often but some requests were made when I contacted her owner so several situations and dialogues have been cut from this retelling.

* * *

_=Ciel, Lizzy, Sebastian=_

"It can't be mine..." Ciel stared at Lizzy even as 'that thing two months ago' passed before his eyes. Surely _that_ hadn't resulted in…

"The father is not you, Ciel..." Lizzy started crying. "It's Sebastian!"

"You...and I...are just over..." Outraged, Ciel rounded on his butler. "So you've done a nun, tried to do Mey-Rin, and now my fiancée...what an asshole!"

Lizzy suddenly looked up and wiped her eyes. "Haha, I got you! Paula said that playing a joke on you wasn't possible but this one worked! I have to tell Paula it worked!"

"What the hell just happened… So are you pregnant or not?!"

"It's just a prank, Ciel! How can you think I would ever cheat on you?!" This time Lizzy's tears were real.

"Then I'm going home."

Ciel did just that, and grabbed Mey-Rin's pair of 9-mm automatic pistols when he arrived at the manor.

_=Daniel=_

A crow flew low over the manor, paying much more attention to its construction than a normal bird would. Something told it that its target would appear at the manor sooner or later...

_=Brin, Sebastian=_

Brin slogged through the doorway, sopping wet. "Hey guys, I have to stay here until the storm calms down."

The demonic butler, however, kept to his book. He just…didn't feel like tending to uninvited guests.

"Hey, sorry to intrude. No one answered the door when I knocked."

"It's fine. I was just thinking about the young lord's education," Sebastian lied smoothly.

"Really? Oh! That's interesting. You know what else is interesting? Astronomy. Science. I could teach him about them."

"That would be a big help." It really would be, as it would mean that Sebastian wouldn't have to memorize so much of humanity's drivel.

Brin nodded. "Oh um… You're still not gonna try and kill me or anything, are you? Because my boyfriend has connections with some very wealthy and powerful people."

"Unless you give me reason to hurt you, I won't."

* * *

[Roleplayer Credits]

AnimexXxGoddess

CBI writer

XxXxHoneyBunnyXxXx

Ruby of Raven


	7. Prologue - 7

**Warnings, Disclaimers, **and _Special Notes_ \- refer to those at the top of the Prologue's first chapter.

* * *

_=Ciel, Lizzy, Sebastian=_

"Sebastian! I need more ideas to prank Ciel with! And maybe the manor too!"

"I see," Although the demon didn't know if she'd actually attempt to prank the manor. "Well I don't have any ideas at the moment but I can give some to you if I think of any."

"Great! Well, I have to go shopping with Paula. See you!"

But the blonde nearly ran into her fiancé as she rushed towards the door she'd left open. "No more pranks in my home. I'm still wondering if you're still pregnant with that Asshole's child! So help me if you think of anything…"

"Yes, young master." Sebastian smirked before slipping Lizzy a glance. "You're not pregnant with the young master's child, are you?"

"No!"

"She said it was yours, Sebastian…did you and she do something?"

"No, young master. I would never do something like that. Besides, I already have a love interest."

Ciel's thin lips curled up at the corners. "Hmm, did you not tell me that love was…useless? Why did you change your mind?"

"I believe that is none of your concern, young master."

"Well…your heart or your stomach, so she must have a very delicate soul."

"I am offended by your saying that, but she does have a very pure and innocent soul." The demonic butler smirked.

"You always go for the sweet and innocent ones, don't you? Just stay away from Mey-Rin and Elizabeth."

"Yes, my lord."

There was an awkward pause before Ciel spoke again, and when he did, it was after Lizzy scampered from the manor. "Can you tell if someone is…pregnant? Like a dog knows when someone is in heat?"

"Yes, my lord, I can smell the young soul inside Elizabeth's stomach. I believe though, just from observation, that she is unaware of it."

"Oh fuck me!" The young earl drove his fist angrily into the wall. "Damn it…"

"No thank you, young master. I believe that is Lady Elizabeth's job."

"Just get out. I need to sulk in peace. And bring me a cup of tea."

"I do hope your new heir's soul will be as delicious as yours. And don't forget I will claim your soul after you get your revenge, so you will probably be leaving a child and a widow," the Phantomhive butler couldn't help but attempt to take the last word as he turned to leave.

"No, you'll never devour my soul. All you do is sit on your ass."

Lizzy, who'd heard this as she crept into the room to retrieve her forgotten glove, winced. "Ciel… I would also like to apologize for playing pranks on you and lying to you about my being pregnant. I must've worried you, didn't I?"

"Elizabeth…you…are an awful person. You don't play pranks about tha subject, considering what we have done in the bath, study, and the bedroom."

"Don't talk about that so nonchalantly!" Lizzy blushed. "I am not sure why but my personality kind of changed lately…"

But Ciel and Sebastian had already left.

_=Brin, Lizzy, Sebastian=_

Lizzy hid in the bushes far away so she couldn't hear anything but could see pretty much everything. _"Such romance between those two! Are they going to do it?!"_

Her thoughts were interrupted when Brin crouched next to her, making sure that the bush concealed her as well. "What are you doing out here? Wait, were you just watching them? Did they do anything interesting yet? Oh, you're no fun!"

Before the blonde could stop her, the mad scientist was up and trailing after Sebastian and…whoever he was with. She wouldn't find out anytime soon though.

"What are you doing?" The butler questioned Brin and Lizzy.

"Umm… What do you think we're doing?" The elder stalker gulped nervously.

"That wasn't the question I asked. Now, what are you doing here?"

"Well, I was out here looking for Ciel, since we had a tutoring session scheduled for today."

"And what did you see here, Mrs. Eavesdropper?"

"I don't know! Lizzy wouldn't tell me if I missed out on a major makeout scene. All I saw was you trying to bite that person's neck like a vampire. Is this some sick kind of roleplay you two do?!"

"Ah, yes…" Sebastian actually appeared to be a little nervous. "You know how couples are."

"And you have blood on your clothes… And I thought me and Dr. D were weird."

Sebastian wasn't sure what to make of that statement.

Brin must've been able to tell. "What? First time getting caught in the act?"

"I guess you could say that."

"So you're a virgin too?! That why you're so nervous? Or are you afraid that I'm going to tell your boss? Although honestly, why would he care?"

"Can you stop talking?"

"Why?"

"Nothing you say makes any sense."

"It doesn't…" Brin stared at him in disbelief. "Really?"

"Yes, really."

"Oops… Guess I'm becoming more and more like my boyfriend every day. He makes no sense at all a lot of the time."

"I guess so."

"…" Brin looked down at her feet for a few moments. "Umm…So…What exactly are you going to be teaching Ciel?"

But Sebastian's was now focused on Ciel, who'd popped out of a ranadom bush. "I know for a fact that you're no virgin."

"What? Young master, where did you hear that?"

"Oh, I heard it from Mey-Rin. She's not a friend of the lady you were with." The young earl laughed. "And I just don't want my maid pissed off by someone that doesn't belong in the manor."

Lizzy tried to get away unnoticed, but to no avail.

"Where do you think you're going, Elizabeth?"

"Um, um, nothing!" She quickly hid a handkerchief with a bit of blood on it but Ciel must've seen it because he took it from her and looked at it curiously.

"Are you all right?"

"I just had a nosebleed when I was spying on Sebastian and that lady… They were trying to get too intimate."

"I'm afraid she's not – human's emotions have always seemed useless to me." Sebastian glared at the girl, as he knew what she saw.

"Sebastian, you're causing Miss Elizabeth's nosebleed so please stop doing whatever is causing her such…anxiety. And Elizabeth, Mey-Rin will get you a cleaner handkerchief."

"Yes, my lord," Sebastian responded just as Lizzy indignantly cried, "I told you to call me Lizzy!"

"Fine, but you can stand to be less bitchy."

"…You know, Ciel, Sebastian and that lady got very intimate. He bit her on the neck and she m-mo-moaned!"

"Oh my… Sebastian in certainly the biter in bed, isn't he?"

"Certainly not, young master."

"And no flirting either. It sickens me."

_=Mey-Rin, Lizzy=_

Lizzy smiled at the magenta-haired maid when the new handkerchief was brought to her. "Thank you."

_=Brin, Mey-Rin, Sebastian=_

Mey-Rin had no choice but to confront her boss later. "You never stopped by my room; you owe me…"

"Oh, I did. Do you still want those photos?"

"Of course. Why wouldn't I?"

"Then I will meet you in your room shortly."

The maid dashed off to her quarters and, after making sure the door was closed securely, exchanged her maid outfit for a sexy nightie. "There we go! He won't be able to resist this!"

"…I would appreciate it if you wore suitable attire. A guest may suddenly arrive and they would see you in that." Sebastian huffed as he opened the door. He had said he'd be at her room shortly, after all.

That did it. Tears started to trickle out from under Mey-Rin's bulky glasses. "What does she have that I don't?! I've loved you since I met you!"

The demonic butler wasn't fazed when she suddenly darted forward and placed her hands on his chest, but he did offer her his handkerchief. "A lady should never cry, it makes them look unappealing."

"You don't see me as one!"

Brin's eyes widened at what she could hear through the door. _"What the hell's happened since I've been gone?!"_

She didn't have to worry for long, however. Sebastian chose that moment to open the door and catch her in the act of eavesdropping but he didn't seem very upset by her presence.

"Brin, do you mind talking to Mey-Rin? She is upset and I have no idea how to cheer her up, nor do I have the time to. I have to make dinner."

"Umm, okay." The mad scientist waited until the butler was out of sight before walking into Mey-Rin's room. "Hey, Mey-Rin, how you holding up?"

Mey-Rin, who'd curled up under her bedsheets, grabbed a nearby vase and threw it against the door. "LEAVE NOW!"

"Hey, I know what it's like to get your heart broken. There is no need for violence. You don't want to see me violent."

"But Sebastian is a demon…I saw him bite that woman too. I still loved him."

"A demon?" One of Brin's eyebrows rose in confusion. "Are you sure you're not just being harsh because he broke your heart? No one's seriously evil enough to be called a demon, right?"

"I always knew he was different, but I'm so stupid for loving him!"

"Wait, so you were serious. The guy's actually a demon? Damn…that explains everything." Brin thought back through her brief time at the manor before continuing. "You know, you really shouldn't waste your tears on this guy/demon."

"You can't help who you love…"

"I know that and my boyfriend knows that. All three of us have had out hearts broken, but we can get through it. And if you need me I'll be there for you." Brin turned and left the maid's room, not believing how much drama and heartbreak was going around in the manor.

_=Ciel, Sebastian=_

"Make me some tea and please call Lady Midford here," Ciel instructed.

"Yes, my lord."

_=Ciel, Sora=_

"Ciel? Is that really you?"

"What? I'm in the middle of something," the young earl groaned, not even bothering to turn around.

"Thanks for the warm welcome, dear brother. You don't seem like yourself right now. What's up?"

Now Ciel turned to see who he was addressing. "Well I put the moves on someone who might tell Miss Midford…"

Sora clearly felt out of his depth at that. "Wait, you didn't have to answer that. I'll just sit and watch."

"Thank you for your support…"

"Well you answered anyway. That's good, but that is sad. What could I do to help? Maybe I could make you a desert!"

"No, I don't think so since you suck at cooking. You could get my lazy maid out of bed though…" Ciel didn't have to think long before he came up with that suggestion.

* * *

[Roleplayer Credits]

Animefreak5786

AnimexXxGoddess

CBIWriter

Emo-Die-Kaninchen


	8. Prologue - 8

**Warnings, Disclaimers, **and _Special Notes_ \- refer to those at the top of the Prologue's first chapter.

* * *

_=Ciel, Lizzy, Sebastian=_

"Thank you, Sebastian," Lizzy took the proffered cup of tea when she sat across from Ciel. "Ciel, what did you need?"

"Lizzy…I put my moves on another girl to test her. I'm sorry if you feel betrayed, but please know that it was a test and I do love you."

Lizzy's expression darkened considerably.

"Do you forgive me?" While he waited for a reply, the young earl turned to his butler. "Sebastian, please help Sora get Mey-Rin out of bed. She's still resisting."

"Yes, my lord."

Lizzy continued to stare at Ciel for a few minutes, then started to laugh. "Oh! You got me! Hehe! Is it because of all those pranks I did? But seriously Ciel, that was a bit mean!"

"No, I'm not joking… I did it and I'm sorry, Elizabeth."

"Ciel! It's not funny anymore!"

"Are you a moron? I told you everything and you know what… I'm done!" Ciel threw his hand into the air.

"I just didn't want to believe it… Then I'll…forgive you. But that's only because I played horrible pranks on you! Now I'm leaving!"

Ciel tried to reach out and caress her cheek but she was already gone. "I'm sorry, Lizzy.."

_=Brin, Sebastian=_

"Hey, I've been meaning to talk to you about Mey-Rin."

Sebastian composed himself and turned to face Brin. "What about Mey-Rin?"

"Oh, I think you know, but in care you don't I'll spell it out for you." Brin glared. "You. Broke. Her. Heart. Honestly, how could you? Is it because you're some kind of 'demon' as she says? And now you're leading her on!?"

"I have broken many people's hearts. She will get over it."

"You really are a demon! I'm going to find her some nice guy so that she'll forget about you." The mad scientist fumed.

"You do that."

"I will, you little smart ass!" Brin hollered as she stormed down the hallway away from him. She was going to talk to Mey-Rin before he could get to her.

_=Brin. Mey-Rin=_

"Calm down, Brin, I'll be fine," Mey-Rin tried to calm the other woman, but to no avail.

"Calm down? You want me to forget what he did to you?!"

"He's a bastard and I won't love him, but life will more on and I will eventually find someone who treasures me."

Surprisingly, Brin started to smile at that. "I get it. I did the same thing when my ex dumped me. Oh crap, I got to go. Me and Drew have a date this evening," she winked as she looked up from checking her watch. "Good luck."

_=Mey-Rin, Sebastian, Sora=_

As much as the demonic butler didn't like this task, an order was an order, even if people like Brin delayed his carrying it out. He strode into the maid's room to find that Sora was already at work.

"Mey-Rin, please get out of bed. Maybe we could go do something fun, like going to the park or whatever you want!"

"And I need you to get out of bed." Sebastian stopped himself before he could mention how the sheets were beginning to smell.

"I will, but I'm kinda indecent right now so leave! Or I'll grab another vase!"

Sebastian waited until Sora left before leaning close to where Mey-Rin's head was. "Mey-Rin, if you get up I will spend tonight with you or you can kiss me. Whichever you want."

"I don't want that. Saying that…destroys me. Pease leave."

Sebastian nodded and complied with her wishes.

"Damn that butler," Mey-Rin cursed as she dressed and went to the kitchen about half an hour later.

_=Ciel, Sebastian=_

"Young master, if I may humbly ask, what is your relationship with this other woman?"

The young earl only smirked. "Wouldn't you like to know?"

"That's why I asked it."

"Why do I need to tell anything to you? You are my butler."

"If you have touched what is mine, I swear…" Sebastian trailed off when Ciel flicked his forehead.

"Don't be an idiot. I'd never touch her because she's creepy."

"Then why do I smell her on you?"

"I kissed her once, but don't worry, she isn't someone I'd fall for. She isn't the stupid kind, like Lizzy. Lizzy is a perfect trophy wife…"

"If you ever do something like that, I will make you pay…"

"Suck it up, princess."

* * *

[Roleplayer Credits]

animefreak5786

CBIWriter

Emo-Die-Kaninchen

Ruby of Raven


	9. Prologue - 9

**Warnings, Disclaimers, **and _Special Notes_ \- refer to those at the top of the Prologue's first chapter.

* * *

_=Ciel, Lizzy, Sebastian=_

"Are you all right?" Sebastian asked Lizzy when he saw her next. She looked rather morose.

"I'm fine, just upset." She took the tissue the butler offered her and delicately blew her nose. "Thank you. You have always been kind to me…unlike a certain person."

"It's not a problem."

Lizzy smiled gratefully as a certain person rounded the corner right behind them. "I'm sooooo sorry, but come on, you're never here. You should just move in since you're my fiancée, Elizabeth."

"Really? I can? Yay! I'll ask my parents! Maybe bring Paula too!"

_=Ciel, Sebastian, Sora=_

Sora wandered about the manor, confused. "Where did Mey-Rin go?"

"She may be in the garden." Ciel suggested as he heard his brother's question. "Why are you here, anyway?"

"I was just here visiting you after a bunch of years apart."

What Ciel said was, "All right, just don't steal anything," but he was thinking, _"Oh fuck!"_

That's when Sebastian, who'd heard the entire conversation from a safe distance, strode up to the pair. "I don't know where Mey-Rin, but would you like to walk about with me, Sora?"

"I would like that. And thanks, Ciel. See ya later." Sora gave a small wave as he walked into the garden with the demonic butler, but the lack of excitement didn't last long. The pages of a bible lying in the grass suddenly ripped out of the book and started flying around Sebastian, restraining the demonic butler to the point of crushing him.

"Help! Please! Close the book!"

Without a moment of hesitation, Sora closed the bible and helped Sebastian up and over to the closest bench. "Are you okay now?"

"I'm fine… I'm fine…"

"Are you sure? I could almost feel your pain but I haven't been a demon long enough for those effects."

"Yeah, and you know the rules for saving a demon. I have to fulfill one with of yours."

"Yes, a wish! Are there any rules?"

"Sure. It's got to be physically impossible, like you can't turn me into a chick." Sebastian had felt like someone had wanted that to happen recently…

"Well that's no fun. I have no idea what my wish will be, so maybe I'll just follow you around for a while. Do you think you could teach me how to cook? And that isn't my wish either – I'm still thinking about that."

_=Pluto, Sebastian=_

Pluto trotted around the manor, looking for his favorite person but hearing him first. And what he heard was, "Oh God."

It was easy to find Sebastian after that. Pluto was so excited that he ran to the demonic butler and leaned against his leg, trying to be good.

"Dumb dog, you were meant to stay outside."

Pluto frowned but walked back outside, walking past someone with red hair, and saw a squirrel. He would've gone after it, but Sebastian's "Here boy," made him turn and run back.

_=Ciel, Druitt=_

Outside the Phantomhive manor, a carriage pulled up and the Viscount Druitt stepped out, smiling warmly as he made his way to the main doors.

"Hello. Why are you here?" The young earl himself greeted the older man.

"I came because I thought you'd sent me a message, earl." The Viscount said, pulling out a letter from his coat. "I received it this morning."

"Ah, I'm sorry."

But the Viscount was already slipping into one of his dramatic periods, actually stooping down to Ciel's height. "Ah! A grand ball at the Phantomhive estate! How truly amazing! How I look forward to this amazing event! But it is also my fond hope that I see my dear robin at this event as well… My illustrious earl, I beg you to tell me if you have invited my sweet robin to this ball of yours!"

"That event is not until a few days from now," Sebastian corrected as he appeared next to his master, "But I believe she is coming."

"Sorry, but she may not be here, "Ciel countered before stage-whispering, "Why did you invite him?"

"For revenge."

The oblivious viscount beamed at the pair, truly pleased as he leapt to his feet and ran out the door to his carriage. "Then I shall await your ball, dear earl! And I do hope that she shall be attending."

"…"

_=Druitt, ?=_

Elsewhere in London, a girl was standing on the rooftops, looking down on the carriages that passed under her perch. Her gaze landed on the Viscount Druitt through his carriage window and a cold, mischievous smile played across her features as she set after him.

"Ah…a beautifully dark and elegant soul," She purred, wrapping her arms around herself as she shivered in delight. "Oh how I'll enjoy that taste…"

_=Druitt, Lilian=_

While Aliester Chambers laid down in his bed and quickly drifted off to sleep, the demon chose to sit outside his window, her eyes trailing over his form for a time before she decided that the time was right for her to open the window and slip inside.

"My robin…" The viscount sighed in his sleep, "What is your name…?"

"Lilian…"

He smiled contentedly as the vision in his dreams gave him her name at last, and the demon quietly left, closing the window behind her.

_=Ciel, Finny, Lilian=_

Finnian, more commonly known by Finny, his nickname, finished the daily gardening with a smile. "Haha~ done!" But then he checked over his work. "Gah! I planted the wrong ones!"

"Are you serious?! Damn fools!" Ciel yelled angrily when he heard the gardener on his way past.

"I'm sorry!"

"Just het the right plants planted!"

"Yes!" Finny looked over the paper that he was meant to follow and smiled again. "Or…I did get it!"

"…Good for you, if that's the case. And now…GET BACK TO WORK!"

Lilian, who had traveled to the Phantomhive manor and was a short distance away from the two humans, eyed Finnian and shuddered as she took in the scent of his soul. _"So dark and tormented… A delicious scent indeed…"_

But then Finny looked around, feeling like he did when Sebastian was watching. "Hmm…"

"Damn, something weird must be close by." Ciel tried to shake off the feeling that he was being watched as well but couldn't. He quickly glanced around to settle his nerves…only to do a double-take when he caught sight of Lilian.

She could have been his genderbent double, just attired in the evening dress he'd worn to the viscount's ball instead of his typical boy's clothing, but she only responded to his surprise with a smile before turning to walk back the way she came.

"Are you…my stalker?"

Lilian scowled and her features suddenly distorted until they were razor sharp, her eyes filled with anger and disgust. "Ciel Phantomhive… What a disgustingly pure soul you have."

"Then you must be a pathetic person since you can't see the disgustingly sick and tormented soul that I do have."

"No…your soul is as pure as fresh snow… No wonder Sebastian wants _that_. Ugh…" Lilian growled as she covered her nose and turned away from the young earl.

She knew Sebastian, so if Ciel could get her name he could command the demon butler to explain their connection and get information on her. "Just who are you then?"

"You'll know soon enough. Feel free to ask your butler though," Lilian giggled menacingly. "Now excuse me; I can't stand your smell any longer."

And with that, the new demon sauntered away with a hand over her mouth and nose to stifle her coughing.

"I hate stuck-up people… Get back to work, Finnian."

_=Lilian, Mey-Rin=_

Lilian continued to wander through the Phantomhive manor even though Ciel had made it clear she was not at all welcome, following a new scent to the kitchen.

"What are you doing, miss?"

"Ahhh… Such a dark soul…"

The maid laughed nervously as the Fem!Ciel lookalike sighed and smiled softly to herself as she sniffed the air. "I asked what you're doing?"

"I was just walking the manor. It seemed like a good time for it."

"Ah-ha… Does the master know you're here- Ah!" Mey-Rin found herself pinned to the wall in an instant.

"He does…"

"I see, but what do you want with me?"

"Such a lovely, dark soul… A killer's soul…"

Mey-Rin blushed despite herself. "Please let me go… I'm just a maid, nothing more!"

"But such a lovely killer you were…" Lilian's face was not inches from the other's.

"H-How do you know about my past?"

"I can smell it on you… Your soul has a delightfully bloody fragrance."

Mey-Rin had had enough. She couldn't properly draw her guns, and now the Fem!Ciel's long hair was beginning to brush against her neck. "Okay, you can let me go now! Please?!"

To eat or not to eat… The decision was a toughie. Lilian's eyes were glowing demonic fuchsia with indecision. "Close your eyes and count to ten." She purred wickedly.

"One, two, three… Four, five, six, seven… Eight, nine, ten! Wha- What the hell is going on here?!"

Lilian had vanished without a trace.

* * *

[Roleplayer Credits]

animefreak5786

AnimexXxGoddess

CBIWriter

Emo-Die-Kaninchen

gothicangel4

Kalin Greyv


	10. Prologue - 10

**Warnings, Disclaimers, **and _Special Notes_ \- refer to those at the top of the Prologue's first chapter.

* * *

_=Claude, Lilian, Sebastian=_

"What are you doing here?" Sebastian finally confronted Lilian in the kitchen. He'd heard Mey-Rin dash past and dive into her room and decided to investigate what would make her so flustered, but he hadn't been expecting this particular being.

The other demon's features sharpened as she turned towards him. "Just enjoying the bouquet you've gathered together. It's intoxicating."

"I do how that you're not going to her in the way of that feast – these humans are _mine._"

"But _I _ thought you had your sights on that sickening little _Ciel_." Lilian teased. "What would you care for such deliciously tainted souls when you had that?"

"I have worked long and hard to get those souls the way they are and I appreciate your not touching Ciel."

"You needn't worry right now… I have my sights set on a better prize…"

"A better prize? Who?"

Lilian actually purred as she wrapped her arms around herself and shuddered in delight. "Aliester Chambers… The Viscount of Druitt…"

"Well, you don't interfere with my souls and I won't interfere with yours."

"I can agree to that," the Fem!Ciel offered the demonic butler a violet rose. "I promise not to feed upon the members of this household, servants included, until the day I have my darling Aliester."

The rose was accepted with a small bow. "That sounds acceptable. But I must admit it is refreshing to be in the company of another demon rather than all of these humans."

"What about Claude? I'm sure you've run into him from time to time."

"He and I don't get along. He is always stealing what is mine."

Lilian laughed at that comment, her features shifting back into soft girlish roundness.

"I'd appreciate it if you didn't do that. Your appearance is highly unsettling as it is."

"Oh, but I love this one! It suite me ever so…! What's the matter?" Lilian smirked as the other shuddered.

"Nothing."

"Then I'll see you at the ball, Sebastian~"

Sebastian's lip curled as he watched Lilian slip off into the night while in the guise of Fem!Ciel. "That's just wrong in every way imaginable…"

_"Don't think about what would happen if they switched places, don't- too late."_

"…Indeed."

The Phantomhive butler turned to find none other than Claude Faustus standing behind him. Well speak of a devil…

"What do you want?"

The spectacled demon held up a camera with the air of annoyance and boredom. "My master requested I sneak in and take photos of Ciel Phantomhive in his sleep. And indeed, that demon wearing a façade form of Ciel is disturbing."

"Your master is strange."

"You should hear him in his sleep," Claude groaned, pinching his nose, then prepared himself for a mock expression of Alois. "_'Oh, Ciiiieellll! Ciiiieeeelll!'_ It's infuriating!"

"But humans are very odd creatures. You should hear Ciel in the middle of the night. It's worse. I believe the last thing he said was, _'Alois, kiss me more!'_"

Claude involuntarily shuddered in disgust. "Please don't tell me that. It's bad enough as it is."

"Then hurry; take his photo and be off."

"He didn't order me to take one photo…he told me to take one hundred photos. Besides, I already have completed that task. I was simply distracted from returning to the manor by that demented demoness wearing Ciel's form."

"I see." How had Claude done it without his knowledge? Sebastian sweatdropped. "…I feel sorry for you having such a horrible master."

"I envy you in that, Sebastian, but then I remember a funny little thing that I know will happen later and that comforts me. If I do not eat his highness's soul soon though, I may snap." And, with a dark chuckle and a wink, Claude was out the door.

"What will happen later? I will protect my master with my life." Sebastian queried the empty room.

_=Lilian=_

Elsewhere in London, Lilian was swaying back and forth in a grandly sized room. Her fingers played over numerous mannequins, dressing them one by one. The first was clothed like Ciel, and the second was Sebastian, but the third was what brought a smile to her lips since it was meant to represent Aleister himself.

She danced around with her Aleister dummy, smiling broadly as they circled the room. A faint slash was heard as they passed the Ciel mannequin, and then the mock earl's head was rolling across the floor. Lilian didn't seem to care – she also decapitated the Sebastian model without taking her eyes off of her precious substitute viscount.

"We will be enjoying the ball indeed, my dear Druitt," the demoness purred, her eyelids gently closing as she placed a kiss on the dummy and draped her arms over its neck.

_=Claude, Sebastian=_

Claude was slowly making his way back to the Trancy manor to develop the film. Even though he'd left in a hurry he knew that Sebastian would eventually decide that he needed to be stopped, and repairing the Trancy grounds after one of their skirmishes was no easy matter even for a powerful demon.

"On second thought, give those to me. I don't want to get in trouble with my young master."

The spectacled demon chuckled lowly. "You caught up with me fairly quickly. And I'm afraid it is my master's orders."

"Then I will obtain it by force."

"You could try, but then I could easily have done something to your master in his sleep. Oh, how tragic it would be for you to lose him now."

The casual-sounding comment (that was completely true – Sebastian hadn't checked on Ciel before following Claude) sent Sebastian into attack mode, but Claude managed to evade the other butler and reach the Trancy estate unscathed. "You really don't value your master's life?"

"Leave him alone!"

"Unfortunately, I have no say over something I set up in Ciel's room, so go ahead and run back to the Phantomhive estate. Your master will need you."

"I will kill you; you can be sure of that."

"I know but I'll still have this last laugh," Claude watched Sebastian shoot away into the forest before moving to a dark room where he could develop the film.

_=Ciel, Sebastian=_

"Why did I hear a headboard slamming against the wall last night?" A mussy-haired Ciel glared tiredly at his demonic butler the next morning. "I'm sure you know this, but people need some sleep, damnit!"

"Why hello, young master."

"And what are you doing here at this time of morning?"

"Nothing much, master."

"Ah-ha… Well…Mey-Rin was, um…felt up last night…in the kitchen…"

"By whom?" Sebastian decided that he didn't care if Ciel accused him of playing innocent at this point – he'd spent most of the night dismantling Claude's little surprise…which had resulted in the headboard-banging Ciel heard.

"It was a girl Ciel! It was creepy because she disappeared before my eyes but I'm freaking fine now…" The magenta-haired maid's sarcasm was already ramped up to the max.

"You're not fine; how could anybody be fine after that? I'm sorry that I wasn't there to protect you."

"I am, but maybe you weren't protecting the estate because of a certain activity last night? Also, she said you knew her… How?"

"She is an acquaintance. I have seen her every now and then, but you are just going to have to trust me this time."

"An 'acquaintance?' Well I still couldn't sleep…at all. Don't you think six hours is a bit long for an acquaintance?"

"Is that jealousy I hear?"

Mey-Rin rubbed her temples. "No it isn't! I'm bitchy because I couldn't sleep because of a damn headboard slamming against the motherfcking wall for six damn hours!"

"Why do you know about this woman while we still don't? She seems to know all about us as well…" Ciel frowned and forced Mey-Rin to calm down.

"But I have only spoken to her once, young master."

"Then how does she know about us?"

"I don't know."

"Then I will do some research while you stay out of sight and try not to make too much noise…"

"Yes, my lord."

Ciel took the opportunity to move to his study and close the door behind him so the others' voices were muffled, at least. "What am I going to do with them…?"

* * *

[Roleplayer Credits]

CBIWriter

Emo-Die-Kaninchen

Kalin Greyv


	11. Part I - Chapter 1

**Warnings: **Language, mature content (which will be mostly 'timeskips' unless there are requests for lemons), same-sex relationships, cracky pairings, weird timelines, insane plots, mpreg, OOCness, OCs, stuff that shouldn't exist during Ciel's time period, plots that end unresolved...if you can think it up, it's probably here or about to be.

**Disclaimers: **I don't own Kuroshitsuji, the roleplay that is the basis of this fic, certain OCs, and what OCs and canon characters that aren't mine say and do since I'm trying to keep the original dialogue and actions.

_Special Notes: _Roleplayer credits will be given at the end of each chapter and kept disconnected from their characters to protect from bashing and such. PM me if you want your name associated with a character/OC and I'll add it in the credits. If you don't want your name in the credits, your character/OC in this fic, or have some other issue, then politely PM me as soon as possible. _After I post chapter 3 or 5, depending on responses to Lives Collide, I will start PMing people to make sure that they don't mind_ _their characters being in this fic. _

...

**A/N:**You don't have to read Just a Matter of Faith or the stories behind other OCs in order to understand anything here, but this fic takes place after season 2 of the anime. ...Okay, more like a season 2 which doesn't end with Ciel turning into a demon, and somewhat mixed with bits of the manga. I apologize in advance if the writing style isn't up to par with what you're used to reading or consistent with my other fics - the beginning of the roleplay is mostly dialogue and simple actions so I have to add little details from time to time, plus the post threads can be hard to follow and organize. We get a lot better at description and dialogue later.

This starts and includes plot from when my characters enter the ropleplay but I'll find a way to hint at events that they weren't involved in. If there's anything I've forgotten or should mention don't be afraid to let me know :)

Phew! That long intro is long, but I don't want to cut corners! Anyways...

* * *

_Lives Collide_

_Created in honor of a certain Kuroshitsuji Roleplay's first anniversary, and so no one has to strain their brain too much when trying to explain or remember everything that's happened._

_Adapted from the original posts._

_Dedicated to the Admins, Mods, and FF Users that made it happen._

_March 21, 2013 - Present_

_-:-_

* * *

_-Part I-_

* * *

_=Luka, Nimbz, Penelope, Queen= _

"Yay! We're going to a theme park!" a small boy with short reddish-brown hair clapped his hands, giggling for a bit before stretching his arms out to the sides and running around the two women he must have been talking to before Penelope got within earshot.

"Eh?" Penelope thought to herself as she listened in, stopping a fair distance away. _"What's a theme park, and why's he think it's so exciting?"_

Suddenly one of the women looked over and saw the skinny blonde newcomer, then smiled in a way that only a grandmother could have (she did look like she could be a grandma, after all). "Hello! Who might you be?"

Penelope started a little but didn't feel like the elderly human was dangerous. "I'm...awfully confused...apologies. I'm Penelope Lynx. And who might you be?"

"Queen Victoria! What is confusing you, dear?" the Queen glanced down at the little boy, who'd hidden behind her skirts when he saw Penelope approach. "It is alright, brother. She won't hurt you. Right, Penelope?"

Penelope glanced at the other woman present, who had white hair and very lightly-colored eyes and only wore a long dress shirt and some shorts - said woman only returned her gaze for a moment before casting her eyes downward - and then back at Queen Victoria and the little boy, smiling a little at the latter to show she meant no harm. "And who's that adorable little thing?"

"This is Luka, my little brother by adoption!"

_"What a lucky boy! He looks familiar though...and he's adopted by the Queen - wait, that's the Queen of England!"_ Penelope quickly backpedaled, trying to remember if she'd answered all of the questions she was asked. "I was looking for a coworker because he lied to me about how much paperwork he'd left for me. And nice to meet you, Luka!" she held out her hand to the boy.

"Hi..." Luka blushed and hid even further behind the Queen.

The white-haired woman shyly peered at Penelope again. "I'm...I'm Nimbz..."

Pennelope smiled but this time it didn't quite reach her eyes. Nimbz seemed quiet and submissive, but probably had a wickedly sharp tongue when she wanted...like some other reaper women she knew... "A pleasure."

"There's no need to be shy, right Penelope?" the Queen asked, almost as if she'd sensed the mood change. Luka must have been a little oblivious to it, however, because he came out from behind his adopted sister slightly.

"Are you implying something?" Penelope quipped almost too sweetly. Then she saw the frown on Luka's face. "Oh, excuse me! It's hard to relax when a lot of your coworkers don't approve of your choice of occupation!"

"Oh..." Luka intoned softly before exchanging glances with Nimbz. The older girl looked away, her face slightly flushed.

Penelope wondered what was up with those two...

Queen Victoria blinked in surprise. "No dear! I was honestly saying that! Sorry, I didn't mean to sound like you were bad or anything! What do you do for work?"

"I'm...uhh..." Penelope wasn't sure if they knew anything about the supernatural, and she'd never had any training for if something like this came up. "It's kinda hard to explain..."

"Are you a demon hunter?" Luka's eyes widened at the Queen's words.

_"So they do know something...it should be fine to say now." _"I'm a shinigami."

The Queen smiled again. "Oh, I have heard of them but never met one before!"

"I'm honored!" This time Penelope's smile was genuine. To be the first shinigami that the Queen of the British Empire had ever met!

"The one I hear about most is Grell, do you know him?"

"Grell?" Luka softly chimed in, having never even heard of death gods before.

"He is a shinigami, I think. Sebastian is always complaining about him."

Penelope waited until the Queen had caught Luka up before replying. "Oh yes...it was his paperwork that got me in trouble...I'm supposed to reap souls if he has too much paperwork, not the other way around!"

"Never heard of him before...what's a shinigami?" Luka looked up at the Queen for an answer.

Penelope chuckled. "Don't let him hear you say that."

"A shinigami is a death god...some people call them reapers." Queen Victoria suddenly laughed, most likely because of Penelope's comment. "Well a lot of people complain about him."

"My soul was consumed by Hanna," Luka told the world in general, smiling brightly, "but then she brought me back; now she's like my Momma."

Penelope stared in shock at the boy. "Dafuq?! No wonder I showed up here when I did!" With a flick of her wrist she summoned a green umbrella out of thin air. Yup, definitely out of thin air, and not from some hidden pocket in her black trench coat.

"And are my baby brother!" Queen Victoria smiled at Luka even as he yelped and ducked behind her, Penelope's sudden movements scaring him. "That was cool." She then commented on Penelope's 'magic trick.' "Don't worry, no one will hurt you."

Luka nodded but didn't comment.

Penelope nodded at the Queen. "Thanks. This is my scythe, Ember. Now don't make me work too hard..." she peeked around the older woman in order to see Luka better, but Luka quickly moved to the other side.

"I hope you don't plan on using it on anyone, especially someone who doesn't need it." the Queen picked up a so-scared-he-turned-white Luka and stepped away from Penelope.

The reaper frowned but lowered the umbrella-scythe. "Fine, but don't think you can wave that promotion in front of my face forever."

Luka's glare was as stern as an adult's.

"He is a five-year-old, not a promotion. He should be treated as such." Queen Victoria immediately jumped to the boy's defense.

"If you were in my position and wanted to show those men a thing or two he would be! Nimbz, wouldn't you think so?!"

Nimbz (who everyone seemed to have forgotten about until Penelope demanded her opinion) looked up at the commotion, then at Luka.

"Do they give you a hard time because you are a girl? Disgraceful! I can see what you're getting at, but still, Luka is just a child. He shouldn't have to have that happen to him."

"What is she talking about, sissy?" Luka queried shyly.

"Some of the guys she works with are mean to her because she is a girl. That ain't fair, now is it?"

Penelope pouted. "Yes... Especially William because I saw him pressuring Grell to keep me out of the field. But he's something none of us have seen before!" her second comment referring to Luka.

Nimbz took the next small pause, blinking as she looked at Penelope. "What's this talk about me being a girl?"

"Well that is horrible! I would walk right up to William and be like, 'Hey, if you are going to be like that then I am going to go on strike and take so-and-so with me!' I bet that will put him in a bunch of overtime and he will be mad! Is there anyone who treats you nicely?"

"If you found a way to show people who hate you that you were worth something, would you do it?" Penelope managed before coming up with a reply for Queen Victoria. "Just Grell...and sometimes I wonder about him..." Even her cousin Jasper gave her the cold shoulder at times, although now it was happening more often than not...but bringing that up could make Penelope feel more depressed.

"Him; I thought Grell was a girl? Sebastian always says Grell wants to bear his babies?"

Nimbz replied to Penelope after the Queen did this time, but looked back at the floor. "I don't care what people think about me. I don't care if they hate me or not."

"That's a good and a bad thing." The Queen told Nimbz. "It would help you but also hurt you. Still, I applaud, I wish that I was like that a little more."

Luka, who'd lost track of the conversation a while ago, stayed silent and huddled against his adopted sister.

Penelope shook her head, getting confused by the conversation as well as trying to hold back her boys'-love-addict side. "Grell's _confusing._ Uggh! And I respect that and all, but people'll walk all over you.

"You''re stubborn." She suddenly turned and frowned at Nimbz.

Nimbz didn't have anything to say to either of the other women until Penelope made that comment. "Stubborn?"

The Queen nodded at Penelope. "Sounds like it..."

"Sissy..." Luka eyed Penelope nervously. "I don't like her."

"Yeah." Pen glared back at Nimbz before looking at the other two again. "Oh Ember doesn't hurt...much."

The Queen looked down at Luka when she heard Penelope. "I won't let her hurt you."

Luka kept staring at Penelope out of fear though.

"Don't look at me like that."

"Like what?" he tilted his head.

"Aggh you made it worse!" Penelope managed not to squeal over the cuteness.

Confused, Luka looked up at Nimbz and Victoria. "What's she talking about."

Nimbs shrugged and yawned, still holding her arm, but the Queen gave the boy a thumbs-up and a smile. "I have no idea...Do you want some sweets?"

At the word 'sweets' Luka's eyes lit up and he licked his lips, smiling and giggling like he was before Penelope scared him. "Yes, sissy!"

"I'll go make some then! Does anyone else want any?"

Penelope caved. "Fine! Fine! I won't get Ember involved! And it's not because Luka looks so adorable when his eyes light up like that!"

The boy in question giggled at being called adorable.

"Of course not." Victoria winked.

"Grr. I'd like some sweets too then." Penelope huffed as she put her death scythe away, burying her head in her hands when Luka smiled in relief at her. He. Was. So. Precious.

"Sweets?" Nimbz chimed in, rubbing her eyes.

"Yes! Sissy makes the best sweets!"

The queen turned to go inside the manor. "Okay! Wait a moment and I will be back."

* * *

[Roleplayer Credits]

Baka-Hentai-Nina

Fluffy-Little-MLH

SebbyXCiel4eternity

SteelPorcelainMXIV


	12. I - 2

**Warnings, Disclaimers, **and _Special Notes_ \- refer to those at the top of Chapter 1.

* * *

_=Cheryl, Sophia=_

Sophia looked at Cheryl in an almost indifferent manner. "Oh great, another demon. This manor is overrun."

"Well excuse me for wanting to help father." said demon frowned.

"Who is your father?"

"Sebastian." Maybe mentioning who her father was would make the other girl back off.

"That's the guy I stabbed with my knife yesterday; my knife is made from a reaper's weapon so it's perfect to deal with scum like your kind." Sophia couldn't help but sneer a little.

"Why the _hell_ did you stab him?! And I didn't do anything to you. Damn you reapers!"

"Because he is a demon and I am a demon hunter."

Cheryl's eyes glowed an angry vermillion. "You must have a reason to kill him, not just for fun."

"Of course I do but I am not telling things like you."

"But you still hurt my father...Sophia." It was clear that she wanted to call Sophia something much worse but Cheryl didn't want to sink to the other's level.

"And? He's a demon, he deserves it."

"It's my father we're talking about," Cheryl clenched a fist, "so it matters to _me_."

Unfazed, Sophia drew the very knife that she was taking about and prepared herself in case she ended up fighting the other girl. "Oh go cry me a river."

That did it. As soon as she noticed the knife, Cheryl threw a dagger at Sophia while quickly leaping out of range of a counterattack.

Sophia easily dodged the knife but chose not to chase down the other girl - she'd have plenty of time to do that later.

_=Cheryl, Sebastian, Sophia=_

Cheryl finally felt that she was far enough away from Sophia to stop running and slump against a tree. "I hope father is okay."

"Hello, Cheryl."

Cheryl quickly turned her head to see who was speaking to her. "Father! You're okay!"

"Don't hug so hard." Sebastian frowned slightly.

Cheryl blushed in embarrassment and loosened her hold. "Sorry..."

"It's all right. That hunter really did a number on me."

"I was worried..."

"I am fine, as you can see."

It could have been true - Sebastian's overall appearance was spotless. Cheryl had to release him and step back a little to be sure though.

"But I freak when my family gets hurt without me knowing." She rubbed her neck sheepishly.

"It's understandable. You are a good kid."

"Thanks dad." Cheryl smiled at the rare compliment even as she clenched her fists at her sides. "I feel like killing that hunter right now."

"Be my guest."

"One problem, she may have a reaper's weapon again."

"Yes, that weapon she has is really problematic." That comment definitely meant something since it came from an experienced demon who'd gone up against it and lived.

Suddenly, Cheryl got an idea. "I wonder if that charm works?"

"What charm?"

"In my time I think I found a charm that makes reaper weapons useless..." Who knew what using a charm from the future would do when used in the past, but it wasn't a bad idea, right?

Sebastian clearly thought otherwise. "It wouldn't solve anything. She is more likely to lash out if she doesn't have her weapon. She might even hurt humans to get to us demons."

"Uggh, damn that hunter!" Cheryl threw her hands in the air and growled.

"I know; annoying things, aren't they." It was more of a statement than a question.

"Second most annoying thing other than that Grell..."

Of course the demonic butler decided that a topic change was in order when the cross-dressing shinigami was brought up. "I am getting too close to that human Elora, way too close."

Cheryl's head jerked up. "What?" _"Please, this cannot be happening. I love my life with my parents."_

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

"I was thinking maybe it's best to let her go. Dante or Hannah can take away her pain. Plus, with that hunter around, it's too dangerous."

"I think you should." _"I just want my family to stay together. If it doesn't...I...I won't exist."_

"That's what I'll do then, for your sake as well as hers."

"Why for my sake?" Cheryl hugged herself, suddenly feeling uncomfortable. _"What if he doesn't want me...Cheryl! For goodness sake, stop that!"_

"Because I want you to be born."

A lump suddenly formed in Cheryl's throat and she rubbed her arms to distract herself. "I don't know why you want me to be born...I just...love you and mom so much."

"Because you're my girl, that's why."

Cheryl, unable to control her emotions any longer, hugged her father. "I love you dad..."

"I love you too."

"This may sound cheesy, but things would've been better without that hunter." Cheryl smiled.

"Sup demons."

Well, speak of the devil...

"Ugh, and here she is." Cheryl huffed. "Why are you here?"

Sophia coldly watched the father and daughter. "To kill Sebastian."

"Not on my watch." Cheryl growled and moved in front of the demonic butler but Sophia quickly darted forward and cut her face with her knife.

Fortunately, Cheryl managed to heal quickly and shifted into the form of a nine-tailed fox before batting the other woman away from Sebastian. Sophia only catches herself and throws more knives at Cheryl's eyes, but Cheryl easily catches the weapons with her tails and throws them back, roaring with enough force to knock Sophia away when she dodges her own weapons and tries to move in for a short-range attack. The hunter was knocked out.

"Dad, on my back, now. Are you okay?"

"I am fine."

Cheryl glared at the unconscious Sophia. "Don't mess with my family...or there will be trouble." she added before running away again. Once she had a decent plan to kill the hunter, she'd stick around, but her dad was more important right now. "Good. I hope she doesn't ever approach you or me again, or anyone from my family; there is only so much pent-up anger that I can restrain."

"Thank you."

Cheryl gave Sebastian a foxy smile. "Anytime, dad."

_=Cheryl, Sebastian=_

"I think we're far away from her now." Cheryl laid down and curled up once the demonic butler had dismounted. "Now, how to get rid of her..."

"We have no option but to get rid of her."

One of Cheryl's tails twitched in annoyance. "Yeah, I know. But how?"

"I do not know yet."

"She does have a reason to hate demons though..."

"We aren't the most friendly people on earth."

"Yeah...but...it's not like we did anything to her!" Cheryl scratched the ground in frustration.

"She hated Hannah more than us though; she burned down her village."

"Isn't that the same village as Alois's?"

Sebastian nodded.

"That's Luka's fault then. But I can't blame him, people do crazy stuff for their loved ones." As if on cue Cheryl returned to her human form and idly kicked a stone.

"She might see it as the demon's fault for not being there to do the contract and fulfilling Luka's orders."

"You got a point there," the girl sighed, resting her chin in one hand while making a little blue flame appear above the middle finger of her other and moving it around. "oh," she took something from her pocket and passed it to Sebastian. "That's a soul in case you're wondering, figured you needed it. and it's also the triplets' fault too - they follow Hannah."

Sebastian nodded and ate the soul. "Thank you."

"No problem. If you need one, I can always get one for you. Some place I found has souls all over the place." she took out another soul and ate it. "This is going to be tough."

"What is going to be tough?"

"Getting rid of the hunter. Hey Lightning." Cheryl greeted a snow leopard that she'd called without realizing it, patting its head.

"I know."

Cheryl sighed and held out a necklace with sapphires to Sebastian. "You can give this to mom. It's pretty and she likes blue." she went back to studying an old-looking script written in an unknown language, something else that Lightning had brought her besides the necklace.

"I don't remember giving anything like this to your mom."

"You didn't give it to her yet. Anyway, I think I can understand some of the words here. Something like: 'the heart is a very complicated thing' and 'sometimes you think revenge is the best way.' Other than that, I can't understand anything else."

"That sounds like something I would say."

"Yeah, it does." Cheryl stroked Lightning's head again and changed him into his kitten form. Instead of staying with his master, Lighting jumped into Sebastian's lap and curls up into a small ball. "If you're wondering how I still keep her, well, let's just say mom admitted she likes cats but avoided them because of her allergies. Since we took care of that problem she doesn't mind them anymore."

"I think you solved a major problem there."

Cheryl laughed. "You also tolerate canines, but I still make my wolf, White Fang, avoid you sometimes."

"That won't happen."

"That's what you said. Mom had a laughing fit when I told you I wanted to keep him and you made that disgusted look."

Sebastian simply shook his head in disbelief and tried to refocus on Lightning's adorableness.

"Other than that, it's quite peaceful. Other than Claude trying to hit on mom, that is." Cheryl muttered something else as she reached over to pet Lightning.

The kitten suddenly looked up. "Finally!"

Sebastian looked down at the ball of fluff in his lap. "Finally what?"

"I was starting to think that she'd never let me talk."

"I do that for good reasons, Lightning."

"Ya could at least do it more often."

"If I do let you talk all the time, humans are bound to freak. AND want to torture you again." Cheryl huffed. "I'll give you and White Fang the ability, just act like an ordinary snow leopard in front of humans."

"Alright, mistress."

Sebastian let the two carry on.

* * *

[Roleplayer Credits]

CBI Writer

Karshiva


	13. I - 3

**Warnings, Disclaimers, **and _Special Notes_ \- refer to those at the top of Chapter 1.

* * *

_=Cheryl, Luka, Sophia=_

Luka yawned and rubbed his eyes sleepily. "Morning Cher."

Cheryl picked the younger boy up and hugged him. "Hey Luka, how's the little prince?" She asked as she spun him around.

"I'm good!" Luka giggled and hugged back. "How are you, Cher?"

"I'm fine. I was talking to my dad just now, then he had to go."

"Sebastian? ...He's letting my mo- Hannah stay here with us. She's sleeping in Sophie's room!" The boy had kept himself from calling Hannah his mom because he still wasn't quite sure what she was to him.

"Who's Sophie?"

"Sophia; it's a nickname."

"What's that person doing here?"

Luka giggled happily, not knowing that he and Hannah were at the root of some of the demon hunter's problems. "Hannah? She's here to stay with me!"

"Luka, sweetie, I'm not talking about Hannah. I'm talking about Sophia. She's a demon hunter, which means that she kills demons like me and my dad."

"I dunno..."

Cheryl set Luka down before kneeling at his level. "Luka, honey... She tried to kill my dad just now, and she cut my face. I had to turn into my animal form to protect my dad." She put her hand to her face and Luka flinched when he saw the cut.

"Why would she do that?"

"I have no idea, I think she just hates demons." There was no way that the boy would take the truth well. "Besides, I heal, so don't worry about me getting too injured." The older girl healed her injury before patting Luka's head.

"But the demons I've met are good and nice to me. Hannah would never hurt anyone. Sophie shouldn't hate them."

Of course, Sophia rounded the corner at that point. "Hi, Luka."

Cheryl took one look at Sophia before turning back to Luka. "Here," she handed the boy a sweet and ruffled his hair playfully, "a treat for the little prince. And she hates us demons because one burned her village down." Hopefully the candy would keep Luka from asking who's village it was.

"Yum!" Luka turned to throw the wrapper away and saw Sophia. "Sophie! You're here too!"

Sophia stopped glaring at Cheryl to respond, "Yes, I am here. How are you?"

"Would you please stop glaring at me? I don't burn villages down!"

"Go back to hell, why don't you?" the demon hunter gritted her teeth.

"I'm not doing anything to you. Don't go around blaming demons when one that you know - that isn't me or my dad - is the one responsible for burning your home down. I'm not that heartless!" Cheryl huffed and crossed her arms over her chest.

"Demons don't have hearts."

"They do, they just don't usually feel emotions. Besides, I was feeling very angry at the fact that my family was in danger. I can feel sadness too, you know."

"But you guys can't feel mercy, pity, or grief. You cannot because that stops you from carrying out your orders."

"Well I SURE CAN! For goodness' sake, get a life! I had to be reborn as a human! I knew I was a demon but I had to be a human for my parents' sake! I was sold into slavery, escaped, got a job, was beaten by my master, quit my job, married, had kids, but they all died a bloody death because some freaking idiot was as drunk as hell!" Cheryl couldn't help but sniffle a little, "so why don't you think we're all like that?!"

"Cry me a river."

"You have _no _idea how much I feel like tearing you up right now..."

"You wouldn't win."

"Yes I would. Because 1.) I'm a hell princess and 2.) I'm from at least two centuries into the future."

Both girls had forgotten about Luka until he started to slowly move away, eyes wide in fear.

"What's wrong?" Sophia ignored Cheryl to comfort the boy.

Despite wanting to actually say, _"Freaking demon hunter! Get a life or rot somewhere!"_ Cheryl found herself watching Luka and, "Did you hear our...conversation? I don't think you should hear this...it'll...get messy..." leaving her lips.

"I'm okay." But Luka still looked rather traumatized.

"Ah, go chew on a soul or something." Sophia glared at Cheryl before refocusing on Luka. "Kid, do you want to go to the park?"

"Oh hush! Can't you see that Luka's here?"

"If you don't want me to say anything, then leave."

"Park?" Luka grinned and completely ignored the dark atmosphere.

Sophia grinned at Luka. "Yeah, just me and you."

"You can go, Luka. I'm fine." Cheryl sighed, sitting on a nearby sofa and did a trick to magically make snowflakes, not looking at Sophia. "You can't control me and I think we shouldn't argue in front of Luka."

But Luka had seen Cheryl's snowflake trick and ran over to her. "Cool!"

Cheryl smiled and handed him a snowflake. "This one won't melt."

"Pretty! Thank you!" the boy beamed.

Sophia couldn't deny that she wanted Luka to be happy as well. "All right." She nodded to Cheryl and left for the park, which was within sight of the house they were staying in.

_=Cheryl=_

Cheryl watched Luka and Sophia through a window that had a good view of the park. _"Wow, Sophia and I agreed on something. ..Speaking of agreeing, I wonder how mom and dad are."_ She thought to herself as she took out a sketchbook and drew Luka swinging on one page before turning to a fresh sheet of paper. It didn't take her long to draw and color herself, Sebastian, and a woman that looked like a female Ciel. When she found herself tearing up over not being able to be with her parents in real life, she focused on adding roses to the corners of the page and turning the background into a black backdrop littered with stars and a full moon. _"Why does she have a scared look...and why do I care?!"_ Cheryl almost smacked herself as she looked out the window again and saw Sophia's face. She turned back to her drawing, coloring the roses, the sky, and the moon. When she was satisfied with the picture (and making sure the moon was just the right shade of blue), she turned the page and began sketching what looked like a wedding portrait.

_=Luka, Sophia=_

After putting his never-melting snowflake in a safe place and playing with Cheryl, Luka had joined Sophia at the park and was happily swinging away, giggling at the world in general. Sophia smiled as she watched him, although she was a little scared of his potential reaction to the question she was about to ask.

"You okay, Sophie?"

"Yeah...say, Luka, what do you think of demon hunters?"

Luka tilted his head. "Why would people hunt demons?"

"For lots of reasons."

"Like what?"

"To stop the evil demons from hurting humans, revenge..." Of course those were the first things to come out of Sophia's mouth.

_=Cheryl, Sophia=_

Cheryl scoffed as her demon hearing picked up that comment, then casually opened the window and sent a purple butterfly in Luka's direction. "They only do that if they're in a contract."

"Go to hell." Sophia just barely caught the other girl's words.

"Hush up! I'm trying to make him happy! Sheesh!" Sebastian's daughter closed the window after sending another snowflake to Luka and went back to drawing. "Bitchy hipster." she muttered angrily.

* * *

[Roleplayer Credits]

CBI Writer

Fluffy-Little-MLH

Karshiva


	14. I - 4

**Warnings, Disclaimers, **and _Special Notes_ \- refer to those at the top of Chapter 1.

* * *

_=Sebastian, Thorn_=

Thorn, a green-eyed woman with red streaks in her long blonde hair glared at Sebastian as she approached him. "Okay, time to face the music, demon boy. I want this mark off of my body, pronto." She practically shoved her arm into him.

"Fine." the demonic butler easily did as he was asked.

Thorn looked at her arm in surprise. "Um...thanks. I thought that would be a lot harder to get you to do."

"I have no fear of Dante anymore." Sebastian said indifferently.

"You don't? Not to be ungrateful for taking off that mark, but why are you suddenly not seeing him as a threat?"

"Because I have no need of Elora anymore."

Thorn smiled but tried to appear less happy than she really was. "Really? That's great. I guess I'll go tell Dante and Elora then."

"All right, but I would rather tell Elora on my own." Sebastian frowned.

"Have it your way." Thorn wandered off.

_=Dante, Thorn=_

The blonde found Dante not long after she left Sebastian.

"I have some good news."

"What is it?" the new demon asked.

Thorn showed him her arm and shoulder, which bore no trace of the mark that he'd put on her.

"He took it off. Why?" Although Dante wasn't supposed to question Sebastian's decisions he couldn't help by do so now.

"He doesn't want Elora anymore," the demon's lover wrapped her arms around his neck, "meaning her soul is yours. Plus, you and I have nothing to worry about now."

"No, that's not what it means. It means that he isn't going to wait until her soul matures, he is going to take her soul either today or tomorrow. I am glad he took that off of you."

Thorn removed her arms since Dante didn't seem to be in the mood. "What? Well, yeah... It's great that he took it off, but I thought she still had more time. Even with you trying to take her soul, she would have time to say goodbye to everyone. This just seems a bit cruel to her." She sighed. "Why did her change his mind to do it today or tomorrow, anyway?"

"Probably because he has gotten too close to her."

"Kind of like you and me." Thorn frowned.

"Because I have fallen in love with you, there would be no way that I would be able to take your soul. You see, it's problematic for Sebastian."

Because he neither loves Elora nor hates her, but is starting to like her too much and he doesn't want it to get as far as love." Thorn shook her head. "Great. Perhaps I should have Brin warn her before Sebastian finds her."

I would; she would be able to say her goodbyes. But I wonder if Elora can manage to get out of this somehow. It should be amusing to watch."

Thorn smirked. "I agree."

"I sort of feel sorry for Elora, you know - she will never experience this," Dante leaned down a little and lightly pressed his lips against the blonde's.

"I know. She'll never feel this kind of true emotion." Thorn returned the kiss and then deepened it.

Dante let her and put his hands on her waist, pulling her closer.

"Maybe we should take this somewhere more private." Thorn had to pull away slightly in order to speak.

"Perhaps." The demon really didn't want to though.

The blonde chuckled a little, reading his expression. "Or not." She went back to kissing him and even wrapped a leg around his waist.

This time it was Dante who deepened the kiss.

_{...timeskip...__}_

Dante smirked, only to have his chest lightly hit by a smirking Thorn. "We're enjoying this way too much," she stretched and yawned. "It tires me out."

"Go to bed if you're tired."

Thorn pouted. "Will you sleep with me?"

"Sure." Even though demons didn't have to sleep, he'd go ahead and humor his lover.

"Great," the blonde yawned again. "Carry me to bed then. I'm too tired to walk."

"All right." Dante took her to his room instead, only to be pulled into bed.

Thorn was too tired to notice. "Night."

"Goodnight, my love."

_=Hannah, Saffi, Sebastian, Sophia=_

Sophia woke up and stretched, not pleased about her sleeping arrangement. If only she'd known that she was going to share a room with a demon sooner...

"Hello... You don't happen to know where Luka is, do you?" Hannah asked her roommate.

"Sleeping, so don't wake him, demon."

"...I have no desire to..." Hannah blinked. "What's happening at the moment? And weren't you supposed to be locked up?" It had been a while since Hannah had been around other people, as she'd been off on some errands and was trying to catch up on what she'd missed.

Sophia grinned slyly. "I escaped."

"I must get Sebastian to come and lock you up...but I won't...if you at least try to be civil," Hannah sighed. "Who helped you then? You couldn't have gotten out alone..."

"Why not? I'm an extremely talented demon hunter. There is no way in hell that you will ever get along with you."

The demoness smirked slightly. "Heh. Well, I can get you locked up again if I want to..." She opened her mouth to call for Sebastian.

"How can you call for anyone if I cut off your tongue?"

"You could do that, right? Teh..." Hannah huffed in disbelief but closed her mouth anyway.

A blue-haired girl of almost-indeterminable age decided to walk into the room as if she owned the place. "I apologize, but I can't let you harm her." She told Hannah.

"Hi, Saffi, want to join the fight?" Sophia asked.

The blue-haired girl, Saffi, smirked lightly before flashing a masochistic grin highlighted by a set of prolonged fangs. "I'll miss out on all the screaming if I don't."

Hannah felt like she at least had a chance even though the odds weren't in her favor. Based on the smells in the room, she had to deal with a human who was aware of the supernatural and a well-aged vampiric demon.

"Time to get my revenge for my village," Sophia's comment and following attack with her knife broke the demoness out of her thoughts and forced her to reveal part of her serpentine demonic form in order to fend off the assault. Then Saffi darted in and sliced Hannah's side open.

"Heh, I'm enjoying this too much." Saffi's eyes glinted a gleeful vermillion as she glanced at Sophia.

Sophia chose that moment to stab Hannah's arm, making the demoness roar in irritation.

"Enough!" Sebastian's voice was loud enough for the three to hear through the adrenaline rushing through their systems.

"Than you..." Hannah shrunk away, panting. She wasn't sure if she had been the demon who burned down Sophia's village but figured the human attacked her simply because she needed to pin the blame on someone.

"No problem." Sebastian nodded in her direction.

Saffi only smiled darkly at the demonic butler. "Sorry...I didn't mean to become trouble...Sorry!" her fangs shrunk a bit as she licked the blood off of her arms.

Sebastian was having none of that. "Get out of my sight." He then turned to Sophia and grabbed her by the neck. "I am really getting tired of this, Sophia. If you continue to act like this I will not hesitate to kill you painfully. I will even let Hannah join in."

Saffi saw the look on her ally's face and clung to the door handle for a moment, sighing softly. "Sorry, but the big man says you gotta deal with this alone, soo..." she swung out of the room and giggled creepily as she ran off.

Hannah tisked, smirking at her newfound enemy.

"You... I... Will... Kill... You!" Sophia struggled for breath as she glared at Hannah. "I promise you that!"

The demoness only smiled and turned to look out a window. "Shame... You can't do that right now... Take her down to the dungeons again, Sebastian."

"She will only escape again." True to form, Sophia was already struggling to free herself from the demonic butler's grasp.

"Hmm... Do you have any other ideas on what to do with her?"

"I have some ideas."

"You do? Then she's yours."

Sophia gritted her teeth as she was pushed closer to Sebastain.

"Yo!" Saffi suddenly reappeared. "I could keep an eye on her if you wanted!"

"You?!" Hannah's eyebrows rose in disbelief at the blue-haired girl.

Sebastian frowned a Saffi. "Stay out of this; you were the one who let her escape in the first place."

"I did not! Why do you suspect such things of me?" Saffi faked a childish pout.

The demonic butler looked back at Hannah, ignoring Saffi for now. "If you mark her she will have to do as you say or it will cause her pain."

"Mark her?"

Saffi sighed and leaned against the wall, preferring to be a bystander this time. "Ahh, I'm in complete peace here!"

"Yes, it's similar to how you do a contract but iys more of an advantage for you instead of her." Sebastain told Hannah before giving Saffi a dark look.

Hannah thought about it. "...Fine." She moved to mark Sophia but Saffi quickly pushed her away before she could do too much damage.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you..." Sophia suddenly screamed and the blue-haired girl shoved Hannah to the floor. "I'm sorry, all...but I'm a type of demon like you, and we all have our contracts..." She smirked and tugged a now unconscious Sophia out of Sebastian's grasp. "Heh. Sorry, I'm in charge here." She kicked away Hannah, who'd tried to attack her again.

"Damn vampire." Sebastian muttered to himself.

"Yes, I'm a vampire... Poor little sadistic demon... I remember a time when you actaully said you remembered liking me..." Saffi grinned. "Well, anyhow... Toodles!" She skipped out of the room with Sophia on her back.

Sophia managed to regain her senses by this point and looked down at Saffi. "Where are we going?"

"Away...to another room so that we don't have to deal with this... Ya do know that the contract I made with you wasn't just to get you out, but to protect you, right? As long as my blood supply is still alive, the contract will last..."

"Blood supply? I don't need protection, I need to kill Hannah."

"'Don't need protection'? Ha! If I weren't there that demon might as well have devoured your soul... Face it, you'd get nowhere without me... I'm doing this because Ivan and Damien think we'd make quite a good hunting pact, and because you amuse me slightly. Blood supply? Oh yes - I get to drink your blood whenever I like!" Saffi chuckled and went up another stairway into an abandoned attic bedroom and sets Sophia down on the bed. "How's the mark?"

"So glad me trying to kill demons amuses you. I remember only allowing you to drink my blood just to get out; you didn't tell me that this was going to be an ongoing deal. Damn vampire..." the demon hunter winced in pain.

"Yes... I cheat and lie like the demons... Oh well. I'm looking forward to taking care of Claude with you...damnit, I want another taste of his spidery blood...and vial his puny life by... Where'd Hannah mark you?"

"My wrist."

"Seems like you've got a pentacle there, huh? This won't take long..." Saffi covered the mark on Sophia's wrist with her mouth. "My saliva has powerful healing properties."

"So why do I have to be your chew toy then?"

"Not a chew toy, just a contract where I drink your blood when I want, and in exchange I will help you do jobs. What're your thoughts on this?"

"Do what you like as long as I am still able to kill demons."

"Heh...you amuse me... Fine, I thank you for that." Saffi pulled a duvet up to Sophia's chin. "Get some rest - we'll finish the demon off tomorrow and then kill Claude."

"All right." Sophia closed her eyes and went to sleep.

Meanwhile, Saffi sat in a nearby chair. "I wonder if she sleep talks or has nightmares... Haha, let's see, shall we?" She blew out the candles and relaxed.

"Mum...dad...no! Leave them alone...stop..."

A click of the vampire's fingers relit the candles. "Hmm, interesting. She talks about her parents - apologies, I interrupted your sleep. Are you feeling stronger now?"

Sophia nodded. "Yes, and the pain in my wrist is gone too."

"That's good too... So explain how you want to kill her..."

"I want to make her feel like she has lost everything like I did."

"That's a start," Saffi moved closer, "so, are you really considering tutoring the kid in being a hunter like yourself?"

"Yes, or kill him, whatever works out the easiest." Sophia didn't want to kill Luka, but if she had to...

_=Brin, Dante, Thorn=_

Brin knocked on Dante's bedroom door, knowing that Thorn may very well be inside with the demon. "Hey Thorn! Are you awake?"

"She's sleeping." Dante opened the door just enough so that nothing inside the room was visible to the woman with pale skin and straight black hair standing in front of him.

"Oh...so early? It's only seven. ...Oh. I get it." Brin grinned pervily and winked.

Dante sighed. "What do you want?"

"I wanted to talk to Thorn, but since I cant...I'll talk to you about Thorn. So, are you treating my best friend right?"

"Yes I am."

Brin narrowed her eyes. "Are you sure? Because if you hurt her there will be nothing to save you from my wrath."

"I have treated her with the utmost respect."

"Good."

"Thorn wanted to talk to you about something," Dante brought up as he heard the blonde stir behind him.

"Really? What?"

"Just talk to her."

"Okay." Brin walked into the room once Dante moved aside and saw Thorn, who was barely awake. "Hey Thorn."

The blonde yawned and rubbed her eyes. Is it morning already?"

"No, but I heard you wanted to talk to me about something."

"Oh yeah, that's right, I did. I need you to warn Elora about Sebastian. He's coming for her soul today or tomorrow."

"Okay...I can do that. Wait, her soul?"

Thorn looked at Dante. "Can you explain it to her? I'm too tired for this."

Dante nodded. "To stop himself from falling in love with her, he is going to take her soul early."

"Why does he want her soul, anyway?" Brin asked.

"Because it gives the demon who eats it infinite strength."

"Like he needs more strength."

"It still helps."

"Well I better go talk to Elora." Brin nodded and left.

As soon as Thorn's friend was gone, Dante turned back to Thorn herself. " Morning, love."

"Morning. How long have you been up?"

"About an hour or so."

"Well that's not too long of a time to wait for me."

"Did Brin tell you?"

Dante only pulled Thorn close in response.

"Do you believe that Elora will live past tomorrow?" the blonde sighed as she leaned against her lover.

"I don't know, but the probability isn't good."

"That's what I thought."

"I would ask you to go with her, but knowing his mood I may not get you back alive."

"It'll be okay, love." Thorn kissed the demon's cheek. "I'll go with Elora and we'll both come out of it alive."

_=Brin, Elora, Sebastian=_

Elora was asleep by the waterfalls that she'd found when wandering a while ago when Brin finally found her. "Elora! Elora! Wake up! You're in danger! Sebastian..." Brin panted.

"Wake up."

Unfortunately, Brin had arrived just a little too late - Sebastian was already there. The demonic butler glared at the black-haired human and put a finger to his lips as he leaned over Elora, who was already grumbling a little.

"Can't a girl get any sleep around here?"

"Get away from her!" Brin yelled at Sebastian.

"Fine." To her surprise, Sebastian actually left. Maybe he was hoping that he'd get an easy meal.

As soon as she was sure that the demonic butler was gone, Brin ran over to Elora. "Elora, what are you doing here? Sebastian could have killed you!"

"What the hell, Brin. Couldn't you see I was sleeping?" The teenager massaged her temples, probably already getting a headache since being blind has sharpened her hearing. "Kill me? Oh God, what did I do now?"

"You could have died and you're worried about sleep?! Sebastian's going to take your soul any time now!"

Elora froze and growled. "How do you know about this?"

"Dante and Thorn told me. Sebastian removed the mark on Thorn because he's going to take your soul soon. He's getting too close to you."

"Then I'm getting to him... I better go see Dante about this though - Sebastian probably won't be very happy. But first," Elora rinsed her mouth with some water, "if I die today, please protect this place for me. It was originally my sanctuary from the world but recently prying eyes and greed have been taking it from me. I want it kept safe from anyone that is not you or I, okay?"

"Uhh...okay. "Brin nodded and followed the other woman towards the manor.

* * *

[Roleplayer Credits]

CBI Writer

Magdalena Saffi-Anne Marshall

Ruby of Raven

Snow Woman


	15. I - 5

**Warnings, Disclaimers, **and _Special Notes_ \- refer to those at the top of Chapter 1.

* * *

_=Dante, Elora, Thorn=_

"Hi." Dante greeted Elora when he caught sight of her.

She dragged him into an empty room, making sure that Brin didn't see where she went. "We need to talk."

"I know."

"You do? Then...why? I understand the situation, but really, why?"

"Because he is starting to feel things for you that a demon of his nobility really shouldn't feel. It's shameful for someone of his status to fall in love with a human."

"...About the time with the fire demons...does that contribute as well?"

"Yes. There are two possibilities that could occur. He takes your soul now or he stops relieving you of your pain. If he does the latter you are open to all sorts of demon attacks, not to mention you would probably go insane from the pain."

Elora shivered at the thought. "What should I do?" a single bloody tear ran down her face. "I don't know if I can reason with him."

"If he decides on the second option you have me and Hannah to take away your pain; I can't do anything if he chooses the first option." Dante gently hugged the blind girl. "He has feelings for you, that's why he's doing this, so you just have to come up with something smart. I believe in you."

"Thanks. ...If he really does have feelings for me...then there might be a way, but it will be a leap of faith I'll have to trust."

"You can do this; I know you can."

"But just in case, I'm coming with you to face Sebastian." Thorn, who'd just found Dante and Elora, butted in.

Elora froze. "No. You're staying here; that's final." She quickly moved to leave.

"I don't think so." Elora could move pretty quickly for being blind but Thorn easily kept up with her.

Thorn suddenly found herself shoulder-to-barrel with a gun, Elora having relied on her ears to point the weapon in the general direction of the blonde. "If you don't leave, I will shoot you. I don't carry this gun around just for looks, you know. I've killed countless things with it, and I'm not scared to add you to the list. I don't want to do this, but if it keeps you safe, I'm willing to. And think about Dante - if you come with me your chances of living are much slimmer than mine, even with your strange power." Elora knew that Thorn could do something - she wasn't quite sure what though, although she could hear the rustling of greenery at times. Greenery...

"Well if you keep pointing that gun at me your chances of living are going down to zero. Besides, I'm not going to intervene unless its necessary. I'll probably just end up standing on the sidelines watching the whole thing."

"You can stay here." Elora growled, "I'm sure your little plant friends will tell you everything in great detail."

"Maybe... The demon has yet to make his move. I'll decide when he does." Thorn let the other go when she turned to leave.

Elora sighed and wandered to the music room, using the walls and furniture as guides. She carefully picked up a violin, feeling the weight to make sure that it was the right instrument, before returning to the waterfalls. "Better make my last moments worth something..."

_=Dante, Thorn=_

"Are you all right, love?" Dante asked when he'd caught up to Thorn, who looked a little shaken.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Elora just doesn't want my help, and even threatened to shoot me if I tried to."

"I'm glad you're still safe though. She will be all right, you know." He added as Thorn smiled a little.

"I know." The blonde didn't want to say too much in case her plants told her something important about Sebastian and Elora and she missed it because she was talking.

"Keep me informed."

_=Elora, Sebastian=_

"Hey, I thought you would be here." Of course Sebastian would have come back once Elora was alone again.

"And I thought you'd be here sooner; getting slow, old man?" Elora huffed and started playing the violin.

"Perhaps." Sebastian sat and listened to the music.

"You seem weird today. Is something wrong?"

"Nothing is wrong; just keep playing."

"Whatever." The violin's notes began to crescendo to the climax.

"You know, don't you?"

Elora tried to avoid answering by humming the harmony to the piece until the valley was filled with melodious echoes, but Sebastian asked the question again.

"You know, don't you, Elora?"

"...Yes..."

"And?"

"I'm still trying to convince myself that it wouldn't be a sin to jump off of a cliff right now." The young woman laughed pathetically.

"You wouldn't do that - you're too proud. I am not doing this, Elora, I am not falling in love with a human; I refuse."

"Hmph... then I guess that makes us equal. I'm too proud to commit suicide and you're to haughty to admit that you have feelings for me."

"But I am going to solve that problem momentarily, aren't I, Elora?"

"Doesn't this go against your policy of making sure the soul is at its best when you eat it? Please, Sebastian, two years isn't that long - not for you, at least."

"I am not taking that risk; I don't want these feelings anymore."

Elora sat down and leaned in Sebastian's general direction as if her ruined eyes could see through the bandages covering them. "Why? Why do you hate such a felling? Is it because it makes you feel..._alive?_"

The demonic butler had a hand wrapped around her neck in an instant. "It's distracting!"

"F-rom what? ...who must...you win...such...respect...from? I...know this...is...no...longer for...your...master, bu-...but... for your...self..." Elora couldn't fight back - she could barely get enough air into her lungs to be able to speak.

"Cheryl. If you're still here, she won't be born."

"Enlighten...me..."

Sebastian shook his head. "I'm sorry, but I am going to take your soul now."

"You won't...even tell me why I...I must...die? Why won't this...Cheryl be...born? I should a...at least know what my cause is. ...W-Won't you grant a dying girl...'s wish...?"

"Because I can't love another when I have feelings for you. Cheryl is my daughter from the future." Sebastian let Elora fall to the ground.

"You're willing to take my child away from me for my life, but now that another woman has stepped onto the field you're willing to kill me for her child. Oh, the irony tastes bitter, like poison on your tongue."

"The child would have killed you."

"And that future child will kill its mother as well. If you're willing to let that happen, you would never have loved that mother in the first place."

"...I am done here." Sebastian left as quickly as he came.

_=Dante, Thorn=_

"...Right now they're just talking. Sebastian said he can't fall in love; he simply won't allow it." Thorn spoke after a lengthy pause.

"Lovely guy, isn't he."

"Just darling." The statement was accompanied by an eye roll. "He just said he's going to solve his emotional problem now."

"...Now Elora's trying to reason with him to wait two more years."

"That won't happen."

Thorn sighed. "...Looks like Sebastian's not budging. He's gong to kill her if she doesn't think of something else... He's grabbing her neck now. You sure she'll be able to get out of this?"

"I don't know but it's best not to get involved now."

"Yeah. Now I'm glad I didn't get involved... Who's Cheryl?"

"Sebastian's daughter from the future."

"How is that even possible?" Thorn paused, her expression becoming unreadable. "Wait, he says he's going to take her soul now."

"How are demons possible? Things exist that are beyond even us."

"...Elora's trying to reason with him."

"I am going to interfere then; stay here."

"No promises."

_=Luka, Saffi, Sophia=_

"You lying, cheating, treacherous brat..." Saffi smirked at Sophia. "...actually, that's why I like you!"

"As a hunter, all that matters is the kill; everything else is baggage." Sophia quickly smiled a little when she saw Luka. "Hey kid."

"Heh... I guess that's how it is to the hunters... I also guess that if you take the killing responsibility nothing else mattes except you and the kill... I need to find Ivan again..."

"Hi Sophie!" Luka chirped.

"What are you doing?"

"Nothing. What are you doing?"

"I was hanging out with Saffi."

"Saffi?"

Saffi grinned without flashing her fangs and gave a little wave, but Luka was suddenly too shy to say hello to her.

"She's a vampire too." Sophia added. "Why are you recreating your offer to protect me? My blood must taste nice if a vampire is offering to protect a demon hunter who puts her life on the line all the time," she hissed lowly to Saffi while Luka was preoccupied.

"A vampire?" That sounded cool and scary at the same time. "Okay; it's nice to meet you!"

"Yes, I'm a vampire, sweetie - do you think I'm scary? I'm sorry if I'm scaring you. I don't enjoy it...that often, anyway." Saffi's eyes flicked toward Sophia. "In fact, it does...and I'm hungry again. My life is always on the line, and that's the way I like it cause I never get bored..."

"I'm scared but I don't think you'll hurt me."

"You are nice - no, I won't hurt you... I don't take lives, I drink from people. Not people as young as you, though, darling." Saffi smiled weakly when Luka giggled in response.

"Well then you're just going to have to wait then, aren't you?" Sophia huffed at the blue-haired girl but Saffi only grabbed a file and worked on her nails with it out of boredom - Luka had run over to Hannah.

"Can do, although, after I fulfill a second wish or help you, I'll be back for more... Also, I will not take your blood in front of other people like Luka - I don't intend to scare the poor child, unlike you."

Sophia nodded. "Understood."

"Just remember, I get in a bad mood when I get hungry..." The blue-haired girl pouted childishly at the floor.

_=Hannah, Luka, Saffi, Sophia=_

"Hi Hannah!" Luka ran up to the demoness with a huge smile on his face. "Hannah?"

"Hello, darling! What's wrong?"

The boy giggled as he was picked up and hugged tightly. "I missed you!"

"I missed you too, darling!"

"How've you been doing, Hannah? What have you been doing all day?"

"I've been...out...with Sophia...sorting things out."

Luka frowned. "You were fighting again."

"Hey, Luka, do you want to learn some fighting moves?" Sophia asked as she finished her conversation with Saffi, smirking at Hannah.

"Can I, Hannah?" Luka tried to copy a fighting stance that Sophia was showing him.

"Almost," the demon hunter straightened a leg and widened the space between his feet a little.

Saffi sat on the counter to get a clear view. "I can see him being a natural talent..."

"You can drink your fill if you wait." Sophia huffed, knowing exactly why the vampire was hanging around.

"Thanks, I'll wait...how long exactly?"

Ignoring Hannah and Luka for now, Sophia dragged her out of the room and unbuttoned her collar. "Hurry up."

"You know that wearing a white shirt wasn't a good idea, right?" The blue-haired vampire smirked sadistically before she sank her teeth into the demon hunter's neck.

Sophia winced in pain. "Try not to rip my windpipe out while you're there."

"Oh I'll try... It was very deep..." Saffi reluctantly closed the wound with her saliva and licked up the excess blood. "I've had my fill from that little drink - do you feel okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine, but if this continues I'm going to become anemic."

"I apologize; I take one meal a day at least, but Damien usually feeds me often from his own mouth so..." the vampire chucked, "I guess it'll be fine if I take from you twice a week then? And yes, there's such a thing as mouth-to-mouth blood-feeding!" the giggling escalated to the kind usually heard coming from giddy schoolgirls talking about their secret crushes.

"Once a day is fine if needed."

"I apologize for acting like a fangirl... Ahh, it's so hard to choose between your and Damien's blood... Ohh..."

"Lovely."

Saffi ignored her and jumped out a nearly window, off to find Ivan...and, hopefully, Damien.

_=Hannah, Luka=_

"How about if we get some ice cream instead, Luka? Or would you rather go with...Sophia?"

"Ice cream?" The boy sprang up and bounced happily.

Hannah smiled a little. "Yes, we can go out... I know a pace just a minute's walk from here."

The boy giggled in excitement and grabbed her hand. "Okay, Hannah!"

The demoness laughed softly in response but kept eyeing Saffi and Sophia in the corner, making sure that Luka wouldn't see them.

"You all right, Hannah?"

Saying that the demoness was surprised was an understatement. "Yes, thank you... Okay, let's go!" She picked Luka up and walked to the ice cream parlor with him in her arms.

...

"What flavor?"

"Ummmm...I want...strawberry."

"All right. Can I have two strawberry ice creams, please?" Hannah asked the vendor. She handed an ice cream cone to Luka when she got them before licking her own.

_=Dante, Elora, Thorn=_

"Are you all right?" Dante asked Elora.

"I might have bought myself some time, but..."

"But?"

"I don't know what to do... I don't even know if I have a choice in living..."

"You do. Maybe it's just that he has a lot on his plate; wait for him to cool off."

"Maybe..." Elora laid down, more tired than she'd been in a while.

"I wish I could do more to help you." A soft sound reached Dante's ears. "You can come in now."

Thorn walked into view and smirked. "She's alive. Well, then I'm not offering Elora any more of my help. She obviously doesn't want it."

Elora sighed at the blonde's statement. "It's probably for the best, too. I don't want anyone else dying because of me."

"You should tell Brin that - you're lucky she didn't decide to get involved."

"Then she's obviously the smarter out of you two."

Thorn glared at Elora. "I let him almost kill you, just like you wanted. Now shut your mouth or I'll be the one to end you, not Sebastian."

"Whatever. I need some sleep; this is too overwhelming for me. Goodnight everyone..." Elora quipped as she walked back to her room and closed the door.

"You think she'll survive tomorrow? I'm starting to hope that she doesn't." Thorn looked up at Dante.

"I hope not - her soul, it smells so good."

Thorn rolled her eyes. "That's right. She won't live for long even if she does get through tomorrow."

_=Hannah, Saffi, Sophia=_

"Don't you think that Luka would be an excellent fighter? He's got such natural skills." Sophia asked Hannah when she returned.

The demoness licked her ice cream. "And there I was thinking that you were being nice... Hn... I don't think he has it in him to become cruel and a killer..."

"We'll see, if his life is on the line, I'm sure he would."

"Don't you even think about threatening his life!"

Sophia grunted and held her marked wrist as it started to throb. "It's not as if you actually care if he lives or dies."

"How could you say that?!"

"Easy with your words."

Hannah growled in frustration and made sure that Luka was oblivious to their conversation but Sophia grabbed her and pulled her close. "What were their last words, demon - my parents?"

The demoness only looked at the ground. She hadn't bothered to listen to the cries of any of the human she'd slaughtered and trying to lie her way out was only going to make the situation worse.

"Please understand, if Luka was killed you would do everything in your power to get revenge, or to try to understand."

Hannah's head snapped up when 'Luka' and 'killed' were uttered so close to each other. "YES I WOULD!" but her head dropped back down as she thought over her words, smiling bitterly.

"Then you can understand how I'm feeling."

"Heh... Don't even make me _try_ to understand..."

"See, I told you that you had no compassion whatsoever."

"Please, I just don't want to be able to understand."

"And this is why you make me so angry." Sophia noticed that Saffi had come back. "Let's go; she's irritating me too much."

Hannah didn't choose to reply, and left.

"Yep, I've been to see Damien!" Saffi's filled the silence as she jumped down from the windowsill and pretended to swoon. "He fed me! Soo, Sophia, what to do now then?" she hopped onto the counter, grinning widely.

"I don't know."

"Let's go kill that demon - Claude - spider blood..."

"I'm not in the mood."

Saffi flopped over onto the counter with a bored huff. "What do you want to do then, Sophia?"

"...Saffi, you don't think that demons can feel what humans feel, do you?"

"Possibly... I definitely feel 'em," the blue-haired girl faked another swoon at the thought of Damien, "but then again, I'm not a regular demon... They probably do, but it takes a significant event to jog a memory or to make them begin to feel love, pain, and all the other emotions that there are."

"Even if they can feel, it doesn't change the fact that they use us for our own souls. They must all be stopped; a demon is a demon, and a demon is a monster."

"I like the way you think... True, true..."

* * *

**A/N: **My apologies if chapter layout and dialogue becomes a little confusing. Those issues should clear themselves up since Lives Collide started in the middle of a plot.

* * *

[Roleplayer Credits]

CBI Writer

Fluffy-Little-MLH

Magdalena Saffi-Anne Marshall

Ruby of Raven

Snow Woman


	16. I - 6

**Warnings, Disclaimers, **and _Special Notes_ \- refer to those at the top of Chapter 1.

* * *

_=Alois, Saffi=_

"OMG, Alois!" Saffi glomped the blonde boy, who'd been quietly wandering the hallways looking for something to do.

"Who're you?!"

Saffi huggled him tighter. "I'm the delighted girl who has just seen you!"

"Let go of me!"

"Sorry... Meh...I saw you a long time ago, but you don't remember me." the blue-haired girl awkwardly slid off of Alois and sniffled a little.

"I really don't know who you are."

"You wouldn't... I watched over you for a young age... One hundred and nine, that was - being the bored vampire I was, I watched from a distance, only to make contact with you once... Meh... How sad..."

Alois huffed. "So you're a stalker."

"Noo...I'm a bored vampire, don't mix me with those fangirl things!" Saffi smiled. "I was just hoping that we could get along, although I would never become a stalker. Except for when it came to Damien, of course!" she giggled.

_=Dante, Elora=_

While Elora was sleeping, Dante carefully picked her up locked her inside a cell in the dungeon before leaving to do who-knew-what, so when Elora woke up she was all alone in a smelly, musty room.

"I've been caged in like and animal once again, oh joy." She muttered after sneezing.

"You're awake." Dante commented as he checked on her.

"Yeah, though this isn't really my ideal thought of a bedroom. What am I ding down here?"

"Sebastian doesn't want you anymore, so you're mine."

"I'm not so sure I believe that." Elora scooted away from where the demon's voice was coming from.

"Well believe it, my little one. Of course, it did take a bit of convincing on my part - even making him eat your soul took a lot of work."

Elora moved further away. "What are you talking about?"

"Haven't you figured it out by now? I orchestrated everything. I have enough dirt on everyone to do so."

"This doesn't make any sense! You're younger than Sebastian and his servant! How?!"

"I may be younger but I have more of a way with words than Sebastian, and having a few contracts doesn't hurt."

"Then this was your plan all along..." Elora jumped in surprise when her back hit a wall.

"You're catching on." Dante smirked.

"You did always say that I was smarter than you and Sebastian perceived."

"For a human, off course."

"I'm flattered."

"I'm glad."

Elora frowned. "So how long are you going to leave me here to rot?"

"For however long I like."

_=Luka, Mason, Nimbz, Queen=_

Nimbz snored quietly as she slept on a couch. "Get away," she mumbled softly.

"Hey," Mason said absentmindedly, not sure if she was awake or not.

Luka suddenly ran over and poked Nimbz until she woke up.

I said leave me alone..." the white-haired woman groaned.

"Hello, dear!" Queen Victoria checked to make sure that Nimbz was okay but the white-haired girl stood up quickly, eyes wide and arms wrapped around herself in fear.

Mason frowned a little. "You were having a nightmare, weren't you?"

Nimbz looked to the side out of what could have been embarrassment but sighed in relief. "I always do..." she nodded to Mason.

_=Alois, Hannah, Luka=_

"Hannah? I thought you died?" Alois was confused - no, wait, confused was an understatement. This was worse than being glomped by his vampiric stalker.

"I am here because Claude and I managed to revive everyone... I apologize, master."

Alois was speechless for a moment. "How?!"

"Hannah!" the cry came from Luka, who ran to the demoness and kept her from answering the elder boy's question.

Alois wasn't able to look at his little brother. He couldn't believe what was going on and thought Luka would disappear if he did acknowledge him, and gritted his teeth angrily.

The younger boy noticed and hid behind Hannah in fear.

"Luka, darling!" Hannah scooped the boy up and held him close. "Shh, it's all right, sweetie, it's all right..."

"But big brother hates me..."

"Oh dear... Well, isn't it good that I don't have to follow his orders anymore, isn't it?" Hannah smiled.

Alois, now furious, turned away and left in a fit of rage.

Luka buried his face into Hannah's shoulder. "Brother..."

"I told you to stop calling me that! My brother died, abandoning me! You're not him!"

"But I am your brother! I didn't mean to leave you! I-I-I just wanted you to be happy! You're my big brother!"

"You abandoned me!"

"Don't cry dear!" Hannah moved Luka away just enough to wipe his eyes. "Alois, please..."

"Tell him, Hannah, tell him I'm his brother! Make him stop saying I'm not..." Luka took a shaky breath.

Alois ignored the others' pleas. "But it didn't stop you, did it?!"

"I didn't mean to! I'm sorry, sorry, sorry!"

"Please, you're upsetting Luka-"

"Since when did you start taking orders from him - you obey me! Can't you see that I'm hurting too?!" Alois cut the demoness off.

I'm sorry, sweetie... What do you want me to do?"

Alois squirmed away when Hannah tried to pull him close. "Get rid of Luka; he isn't my brother. The brother I had died that day."

"I'm sorry, I can't - He's the real one. Claude and I brought him back."

"Then what good are you?!"

"I apologize, but I cannot harm Luka in any way."

"It's not fair! I want things the way they used to be!"

"I'm sorry... time has moved on..."

"But I was dead - how could I know that?!"

_=Brin, Mason, Thorn=_

"Hey." Mason greeted Brin.

The dark-haired woman turned around. "Oh, hi. Have you seen Elora?"

"Sorry, no."

Brin frowned, then tried to smile a little. "Oh that's okay. Sorry, but who are you? I don't think I know your name, or if I did, I've forgotten it."

"My name is Mason."

"Well I'm Brin. Have you met Thorn too?" the dark-haired woman asked as she started toward the kitchen.

"No."

"Then perhaps you'd like to meet her." the dark-haired woman pointed out an attractive blonde snacking on an apple. "This is Thorn."

"Nice to meet you." Mason nodded to Thorn.

"Yeah, hi..." Thorn really wasn't sure what to think of Mason. "Do either of you know when dinner is? This apple isn't going to hold me over for long."

_=Alois, Saffi, Sophia=_

Sophia beckoned to Saffi. "Come; I have an idea."

"What is it?"

"Let me get this straight - you have to follow what I say and in exchange you get my blood. Am I correct? You won't hesitate even if having to do what I say conflicts with your feelings?"

"Almost... As long as it doesn't conflict with any personal love or hate emotions, then you have it!"

"Explain more about things that would conflict with personal love or hate emotions then."

"Well...one I am sure of involves Damien and Ivan - you say what you have in mind for me and I'll tell you any other things you want to know."

Sophia didn't like how Saffi managed to dodge her question but decided to let her get away with it. "I've been doing some research on the people surrounding Luka and Hannah and noticed that Luka's brother Alois has gotten a lot of pent-up anger towards Luka and Hannah. He'd be a perfect tool to use. The best thing is that no matter what he does to Luka, Luka won't want Hannah to kill Alois."

"Ahh, good idea... I've watched Alois for a number of years when I was bored and young... I can't wait to be able to use him again so he'll release that anger on a demon. Ah, you have good ideas, and as long as you don't hurt him physically or emotionally too much, I'm okay with it."

"All right, so how much will this cost me then? I'm going to guess that your assistance won't be free."

Nope! It's free...only because I got your blood earlier though. I might require more tomorrow if you're sure you won't become anemic though."

"All right," Sophia smirked, "then let's get started."

"But how're we going to go about this new plan then?" Saffi suddenly asked.

"We're going to get Alois on his own."

"...All right then, watch this!" The blue-haired girl turned to Alois and grinned darkly before running at him. "YES, I'M YOUR ELEVEN-YEAR-OLD PEDO-STALKER AND YOU SHOULD FEAR MY WRATH!"

Needless to say, Alois ran like hell.

"Good enough?" Saffi wandered back to Sophia when she'd gotten tired of her game.

"I think you got a little too extreme."

"It worked at least...and I like my wild life, so I'm not bored. It most certainly was not extreme - want to see extreme?" Saffi chuckled. "Poor Alois..."

"I don't know, but he seems a little unstable for this plan. Perhaps I should think of another one."

"That's true, Sophia..."

"Well the call's yours then. Come up with some good ideas."

* * *

[Roleplayer Credits]

Baka-Hentai-Nina

CBI Writer

Fluffy-Little-MLH

Freedom of Creation

Magdalena Saffi-Anne Marshall

Ruby of Raven


	17. I - 7

**Warnings, Disclaimers, **and _Special Notes_ \- refer to those at the top of Chapter 1.

* * *

_=Saffi, Sophia=_

"I have to tell you something - when Hannah and I were arguing, my wrist started to burn very badly. What's up with that?" Sophia asked Saffi the next time they ran into each other.

"...Damnit, that damn demon... She's marked you... Are you sure you want to hear what's happening?"

"But what does that mean for me?"

"You know, vampires like me make contracts but leave whenever they've had enough of the owner or when they've fulfilled the main goal, yes? Well she's linked her pain to you... This involves me because it affects your blood - it begins to boil in your wrist when you argue with her, and the only way to rid yourself of it all is to cut off your hand, or remove the mark and your skin... It's not pleasant."

"So can I feel what she feel, and vice versa?"

I know what you're thinking, but don't try hurting yourself. The only way to stop it is to kill Hannah or cut the mark off."

"Damn it, fine. I'll just have to bear it; a demon can't feel much so it wouldn't matter anyway." Sophia huffed.

_=Connie, Toni, Sebastian=_

"Hello." Sebastian greeted the young girl and the teenage boy sat on the lawn while they played with firecrackers.

The girl looked up at the newcomer. "Hi."

"You all right?" Sebastian asked.

"Yes - aah!" the girl jumped in surprise as a firecracker popped.

"Let me help."

"Otay." the girl nodded as the older boy lit another firecracker.

"They are very pretty." The demonic butler's comment earned a smile from the girl. "You are such a good kid."

"Really?"

"Of course."

The girl smiled more, forgetting that she was still holding a firecracker that was about to pop until Sebastian took it and threw it high into the air. "Oops, I forgot to throw it."

"Be more careful next time."

"Otay." the girl smiled as she took another firecracker form the older boy.

"Be careful with this one now."

"I will." This time the girl threw it before it popped.

"Good girl."

The girl in question smiled before turning to the older boy. "Can I light the next one?"

"No."

"I have to agree with Toni." Sebastian nodded as the boy's name came to him. They'd talked a little before but not for very long.

"Awww..."

"That's final."

"Otay then," the girl settled for throwing another firecracker instead. "Another one?"

"Sorry, they're all gone, Connie," Toni said.

_=Hannah, Luka, Penelope, Saffi, Sophia=_

"You okay, kid?" Sophia asked later when she saw how upset Luka looked. She got even more concerned when he wasn't able to reply.

"B... Big brother wants me dead..."

"He's just confused, that's all."

Luka rubbed his eyes to dry them, hoping that the demon hunter was telling the truth. "I didn't mean to die...I just wanted him to be happy..."

"It's not your fault that you died, it's not your fault that someone took your life away."

"Hannah didn't take it, I gave it to her."

"She didn't have to accept it."

"..."

"I'm sorry, Luka, I shouldn't act that way around you."

"Hannah is good - she'd never hurt me..."

"I know, kid. She won't hurt you." Sophia didn't say, _"But what about everyone else?"_

Luka smiled a little.

"Maybe it's best for me to go - Hannah and I simply don't get along."

"Don't go, Sophie. Pleease?"

"As long as your demon pet is here, I can't be here, especially after what she's done."

"Okay..."

"Don't look at me like that, kid." Even Sophia couldn't deny the cuteness of a pouting Luka for long, but he looked down at his feet before she ended up caving.

"What is it?"

Before Luka could reply, Hannah scooped him into a big hug, kissing his forehead. "What's wrong, darling?"

"I don't want to be dead again." the boy sniffled, a new problem already looming in his imagination.

"You won't end up dead again."

A little pinky was help up for a pinky swear. "Promise?"

"Promise." Hannah gently wrapped her pinky around his. "It's a sincere promise."

Luka hugged the demoness as tightly as he could and got his hair ruffled in return.

"So precious!" Penelope grinned when she caught sight of Luka. She'd been wandering the manor for a while and had been starting to question if anyone she'd met earlier was still around.

"Who is this, Luka?" Hannah held the boy in question protectively close to herself.

"A reaper. She thinks I'm a promotion."

The demoness considered this, then looked at Penelope.

Sophia, who was still standing nearby, spoke up next. "How do you think that Luka is a promotion?"

"No I don't!" Penelope hurriedly waved off Luka's comment, "I'm a reaper though; Penelope Lynx. And you are?" She looked between Hannah and Sophia.

Luka stayed silent, watching Hannah's reaction.

"Okay then..." Hannah looked back at the boy, not sure what else to say.

"Never mind, I know what you are," Penelope sniffed and wrinkled her nose at the demoness.

Luka whimpered and shrank away from Penelope. "Mama..." He was too scared to call Hannah anything else.

"D'aawe~" Penelope smiled at the sight until the boy fearfully pointed at her.

"Pointing at a woman, how rude!" the reaper huffed.

"Get rid of it first, get rid of the mark." Sophia butted in, glaring at Hannah. "And you're very amusing, reaper. You hate demons just as much as I do."

"Why should I?" Hannah asked the demon hunter.

"Because if you don't there's no telling what I'll do."

"Why don't I tell the boy why I am so mad at you, huh?" Sophia threatened the demoness.

Penelope glanced at Sophia. "What's it to you, if I may ask?"

"I'm a demon hunter."

"Sorry, but not too fond of those either." The reaper bluffed - she'd never met one before.

"How nice for you." Sophia's reply to Penelope was almost sarcastic.

"Hmm, let me think about it... Ohh, that's hard, but still a no." Hannah let Luka down and he ran behind her. "It's okay, Luka."

The demon hunter glared at Hannah even though she was addressing Luka. "You haven't seen what she is really like. She puts up a pretense around you, but if you want to hang around demons, you will eventually see all of their sides."

"Oh, did I do something to upset you, hunter? I'm sorry..." Hannah spit venom at Sophia while Luka wasn't looking.

"But Hannah is nice!" Luka peered out from behind the demoness he was talking about.

"Is she nice when she kills people too? What about when she ate your soul? Was she nice about that? Or how about when she burned my village with my parents in it to ashes?"

"I...don't really remember when she ate my soul... Crying...I heard crying..."

Hannah's eyes widened. "Don't think about that now!"

"Forget it, it's pointless trying to explain things to a child." Sophia huffed. "Come on, demon, show Luka what you're really like."

"I refuse."

"Hannah, what's she talking about?" Luka quietly queried.

"Don't bother with them, Luka. Come here and let them settle their differences." Penelope grinned, her sudden comment causing Luka to yelp and hide behind Hannah again.

_=Dante, Penelope=_

"Hi, are you all right?" Dante caught sight of Penelope - who knew what he thought of the random reaper smiling like an idiot.

"...Yes."

"That's good."

Penelope gave the demon an almost suspicious glance before returning to the task of getting her hands on Luka, meaning that she patiently waited on the sidelines.

It didn't take long for the others to forget that Penelope was there.

_=Hannah, Luka, Saffi, Sophia=_

"She's referring to my true form, Luka...I don't want you to remember it - the time that I became snakelike - though."

"...Show me. I won't get scared this time."

"No."

"Coward." Sophia spat at Hannah. "Luka, she burned my village to the ground, that village we went to see. It was my village too."

"But I told Hannah to burn it." The boy tilted his head, not sure what Sophia's point was.

The demoness looked down. "...I did..."

Now the demon hunter was getting frustrated. "But it's her fault for even showing up in the fist place, and her fault for actually going with the order."

"It wasn't your fault, Hannah...it's mine," Luka sighed.

"Thank you, but I'm afraid it is...all my fault..."

"But I told you to!"

"Yo!" Saffi chose that moment to walk into the room, then perched on a counter.

"Hi," Sophia replied to the new arrival. "You're a kid, Luka, you don't know any better."

"I heard heated discussion (a.k.a. arguing) so I thought I'd see what's happening. S'up, Luka?"

"Hi," the boy looked at the blue-haired girl for a moment before turning back to Sophia. "But... But..."

"No buts, its Hannah's fault and that's final."

"Mmm..."

Saffi sighed, irritated. "Damnit... I was looking forward to destroying a demon or something...I need a workout after my long feed..."

"Can we get that in writing too, demon?" the demon hunter asked Hannah?

"Apologies, but no..."

Luka looked up at the demoness sadly. "Hannah..."

"I'm sorry, darling... Would you still love me if I told you that Sophia was right?"

"I love you no matter what."

"That's good to hear, sweetie!" Hannah picked Luka up and cuddled him.

Sophai shook her head at the others' exchange. "You're beyond clueless."

"And I'm getting bored," Saffi added.

"You do realize this fighting is going to continue until I get my revenge, don't you?"

"I know perfectly well that it will continue."

"And I'm not dumb!" Luka suddenly shouted as he snuggled against Hannah, and I won't let you hurt her!"

"Yes you are. Stay out of this, kid."

The boy stuck out his tongue childishly.

"Don't get yourself involved, please." Hannah gently chastised Luka.

Sophia sneered. "But since you're not in a contract anymore, you're weaker and easier to take care of. ...You wouldn't possibly have the kid sell his soul again to get you stronger, would you?"

The demoness glared at the other woman.

"I won't let anyone hurt you, Hannah."

"Luka, please!"

"Yes, Hannah?"

The demoness fell to her knees. "Please...don't get yourself involved... She doesn't care about you - she'll kill you! Run, _now!_"

Luka took one last look at her and Sophia before running away.

"Yo, is it all starting now or what?" Saffi asked while she filed her nails.

"Yes, " Sophia grinned as she watched Hannah's human form take on more viperlike qualities.

The demoness hissed and let her claws out, spitting poison warningly. "Ready, hunter?"

The hunter in question brought out her knife.

"Hmm, things are getting interesting! Want me to join, Soph?"

"Sure."

"Right!" Saffi hopped off of the counter and swapped the nail file for an epic ninja pose. "I'm ready!"

Hannah hissed. There was no way to avoid this fight, but at least she'd gotten Luka out of harm's way.

* * *

**A/N:** Do you want Lives Collide to catch up to the current roleplay faster? Volunteer to copy posts and send them to me - even a couple of pages will make a big difference. PM me if interested.

* * *

[Roleplayer Credits]

CBI Writer

Fluffy-Little-MLH

Lady Mizu

Magdalena Saffi-Anne Marshall

SteelPorcelainMXIV


	18. I - 8

**Warnings, Disclaimers, **and _Special Notes_ \- refer to those at the top of Chapter 1.

* * *

_=Connie, Queen, Sebastian_=

Queen Victoria walked into a room. "Hey guys!"

Sebastian looked up. "Would you mind babysitting Connie?"

"Of course not! Now...who is Connie?"

"My daughter."

"I thought Cheryl was your daughter though."

"I have two daughters."

"Oh hello there!" the Queen suddenly turned and waved back at Connie, who was suddenly too shy to say anything. "Do you want some candy?"

"Yes!"

"Isn't it getting a little late for candy, Connie?" Sebastian asked as he saw the girl try to hide a yawn.

"I guess..."

The demonic butler chuckled and picked the girl up when she reached for him, letting the Queen that he would put Connie to bed before taking the girl to her room and tucking her in.

Connie snuggled into the covers and closed her eyes.

"Night."

"Night night."

Connie slept well for a time, but then the nightmares started.

"Wake up, you're having a nightmare," Sebastian gently shook her, then hugged the girl when she sat up and wrapped her arms around him, digging her face into his coat.

_=Hannah, Saffi, Sophia=_

"You get the kid, I'll deal with the demon." Sophia frowned at Saffi before running at Hannah and slicing an arm off. "Funny, I was about to ask you the same question." She sneered at Hannah.

"AH!" The demoness clutched her severed arm close before slicing Sophia's foot to the bone with her claws. "YOU'LL PAY FOR THIS, YOU SADISTIC MORON!"

"Alright! But I'm going to miss the fight...ah well..." Saffi jumped out of the ninja pose and ran in the direction that she'd seen Luka take. Once she was downstairs, she couldn't help but add, "OH MAH GOD! IT'S GONNA HURT YOU LOTS, SOPHIA!"

Sophia didn't reply but concentrated on slicing Hannah's other arm off before she collapsed, unconscious, from the pain in her foot.

Hannah would have ended the fight there but she was too weak from blood loss to do anything besides fall to the floor as well. "Damnit! I'm nothing like Sebastian!"

_=Luka, Queen, Saffi=_

"Luka! Where are you, sweetie?"

Luka ran into England's ruler as he tried to get away from Hannah, Saffi, and Sophia, falling backward. "Oomph!"

"Are you all right, dear?"

The boy turned when he heard Saffi. "Sorry, sissy."

"Uh, Luka? Where are you going?" Victoria asked.

"Hannah said to run; she and Sophia are fighting!" Luka went back to running, knowing that his life really did depend on it.

"Wait up!"

But Luka was too scared to slow down. Victoria did her best to keep track of him but quickly got lost.

"...I wonder where I am now..." She asked herself as she turned around and tried to find her way back to the manor.

_=Saffi, Sophia=_

Sophia was still unconscious when Saffi returned.

"Sophia? Where are you? OMG..." The blue-haired girl quickly pulled Sophia into another room, ignoring Hannah entirely. "Here."

Sophia managed to drink a little blood from Saffi's cut wrist.

"It'll make you stronger," Saffi assured her as she used her own saliva to heal the demon hunter's ankle. Hopefully she hadn't arrived too late and the human would live.

_=Connie, Queen=_

"Candy?" Connie immediately queried when she saw Queen Victoria again.

"Do you still want some?"

"Yes!"

"Well here you go then."

Connie happily took the candy. "Thank you!"

"You're welcome. How old are you, by the way?"

"Four."

"Wow, you're a big girl, aren't you?!"

"Yep!"

"Is there anything you want to do?"

"Hmm..." Connie thought about her answer. "What's it like being a queen?"

"It's fun sometimes, but serious at others." _ "And it's even more fun when I can play pranks on my guards,"_ the Queen thought to herself.

"Then I wish I was a queen."

"Maybe when you get older, I will let you be queen for a day?"

Connie giggled at the thought. "Otay!"

"Want to go to the park in the meantime?"

"Sure!"

Queen Victoria, now that she'd gotten her bearings, easily guided the girl to the park. "Look! There's a puppy!"

"Puppy!" Connie parroted as she ran over and petted the dog. Queen Victoria followed and did the same when she was done.

"Do you want a puppy? I bet your dad will love one."

"Daddy doesn't like dogs."

"Exactly! That's why we should get you a dog, so he can learn to love them!"

"Ohh otay!"

"What kind of dog should we get? A lab, a poodle, shepherd, greyhound, great dane?"

"Um, how about that one?" The girl pointed out a fluffy grey miniature poodle walking with its owner nearby.

"Okay then!" Victoria took Connie to a pet store, where they found a poodle that was almost identical to the on in the park. "What will you name it?"

"Um..."

"How about...Perro!"

"Perro?"

"It's Spanish for dog!"

Connie smiled a little. "I don't know Spanish though, so I'll call him Mr. Fuzzy."

"That's a cute name!"

"Thank you."

Victoria made sure that they'd be able to pick the dog up when they were done shopping. "Now let's go get some food and dog bowls!"

"Okie dokie!"

Connie was a big help when it came to picking out accessories for her new pet and putting them in the shopping cart.

"is there anything else you want for Mr. Fluffy?" Victoria asked after they'd gathered all of the essentials.

"Dog treats and squeaky toys!"

"Okay!"

Yay!" the girl giggled as she ran to the appropriate isle.

"You're so cute!"

Connie giggled even more as she came back with a bag of treats and several toys.

"Time to go home then, if that's all!"

"I can't wait 'til Daddy meets Mr. Fuzzy!"

"Don't worry, he'll love it! Be sure to tell him I was the one who got him for you - that way he can be happy!"

"Okie dokie!" Connie chirped as they finally picked up Mr. Fuzzy and took him home.

_=Connie, Luka, Queen=_

After a couple of hours, Luka decided that he was tired of running and started to retrace his steps back to the manor. "Hello?"

"Luka! I was so worried!" Queen Victoria, who'd returned from her shopping trip with Connie not long before his arrival, stood up to greet him.

"Sissy, is everything okay now?"

"It's okay now, don't worry."

Luka sighed in relief and walked over to her, glancing at Connie and he dog for a moment until the Queen picked him up. "Do you want to show Mr. Fuzzy to Luka?" Victoria asked Connie.

"Sure! Wanna meet my new puppy!?" the girl smiled at Luka.

"Yes!"

Connie held Mr. Fuzzy up for the other to pet for a little bit and Luka happily pet the dog's head. "I think he likes you."

"I like him too!"

Mr. Fuzzy licked Luka's hand.

"Silly puppy!"

Mr. Fuzzy yipped happily, making Connie think that he'd rather play with Luka than with her.

"So how's my little prince been?" Victoria asked Luka.

The boy stopped petting the poodle. "I'm good; how're you, sissy?"

"I'm really good! Thanks for asking! Do y'all want to take Mr. Fuzzy outside to play in the garden?"

"Otay!"

When Luka made no objection, Victoria carried him outside while Connie walked ahead of them with Mr. Fluffy. She set the boy down and watched him draw in the dirt with a stick for a couple of minutes before finding a chair to sit down in. "What're you drawing, brother?"

"A Flower."

"It's pretty; you're good!"

Connie wandered over when she heard them talking. "Whatcha doing?"

"I'm drawing a flower."

"It's pretty."

"Thanks. Do you want to draw with me?"

"Sure!" Connie grabbed a stick and started to doodle in the dirt with it.

Queen Victoria smiled. "What are you going to draw now?"

"Um... a butterfly." Luka started drawing it above the flower.

_=Lillian, Viscount=_

"My poor viscount..." Lillian murmured to herself as she gently stroked Aliester's hair as he slept. She kept waiting for him to stir, to wake, but he remained comatose, as he'd been for several days now, but she would stay with him until he either opened his eyes once again or withered away. "What did they do to you?

"They will pay for hurting my precious Aliester..." Thorns sprouted from Lillian's pigtails as her anger grew.

_=Queen, Sebastian=_

"Shouldn't you be running your country?" Sebastian asked Queen Victoria later.

"I've done everything on my list today, and I like to visit here - it's always so lively!" the older woman smiled. "By the way, who is Connie's mother?"

Sebastian didn't reply. Maybe he didn't know or care to remember, or was protecting the woman's identity for some reason.

* * *

[Roleplayer Credits]

CBI writer

Fluffy-Little-MLH

Kailin Greyv

Lady Mizu

Magdalena Saffi-Anne Marshall

SebbyXCiel4eternity


	19. I - 9

**Warnings, Disclaimers, **and _Special Notes_ \- refer to those at the top of Chapter 1.

* * *

_=Cheryl, Sebastian=_

Cheryl was sitting in a tree so it would be harder for passers-by to break her out of her thoughts.

"Hello."

Well, there was one voice that would always get her attention. "Hey dad," Cheryl jumped down from the tree and dusted herself off a little.

"What are you doing?"

"Thinking. I heard you wanted to take Elora's soul and I think I also heard you mentioning me. That and me killing her..." she glanced down but tried to look like she didn't care about how the demonic butler would react. "If you didn't have feelings for her, well...I wouldn't kill her...I just wouldn't exist... You could always impregnate mom so I could exist."

"A demon can't have feelings like that, Cheryl. It's just not right."

"What about mom then?"

Sebastian sighed. "That is where I'm so confused."

"But it's okay for demons to have feelings for other demons?"

"Yes."

"Good, because mom eventually got turned into a demon."

"I do not know what to do about Elora though."

"Me either...but I wouldn't kill her, even if it meant that I didn't exist. I suggest that we wait for her soul to mature." Cheryl leaned against a tree and conjured a ball of blue flame in her hand.

_=Cheryl, Elora, Luka, Sebastian=_

Luka grinned at Cheryl, still looking a little ragged because of his running away from Sophia and Hannah's fight. "Hi!"

"OMG! Luka! Are you okay?!" The older girl quickly rushed over to him but held him gently, checking for damage while the boy was caught in a sudden daze. "What happened, sweetie?"

"...Hannah? ...Sophia?"

"They're not here."

Luka relaxed and started to smile again as Cheryl gently hugged him. "What are you doing out here, Cher?"

"I was just talking to dad."

"I met his other daughter last night. Sissy got her a dog!"

"Yeah...I've heard of Connie. How's Victoria?"

"Sissy is good!" Luka smiled.

Elora, who'd heard the other voices near the spot where she was resting, made her way over to investigate the voice that didn't belong to any of the women she already knew. "Who are you?"

"You might not want to know." Cheryl replied. She was pretty sure that the newcomer was Elora, and she wouldn't appreciate the fact that she was talking to Sebastian's daughter.

Luka's brow furrowed in confusion at the older women's interactions but he left once Cheryl put him down.

Elora wasn't sure how to respond. "No, you seem familiar..."

"We've met before." Cheryl checked on Luka. "You okay?"

"When? My memory is still cloudy."

"Sebastian mentioned me once or twice."

"I'm okay." Luka giggled when Cheryl picked him up and snuggled him.

Elora's eyebrows rose a bit. "Are you the one telling him that you'll die if he doesn't kill me?"

"Technically, I just won't exist. I managed to convince...dad not to kill you." Cheryl cringed at how bad that sounded.

"Who told you that you wouldn't exist? In truth you should be fine - that's not how time works..."

"It'll mean dad won't marry mom, thus, I won't exist."

"Do you know who your mother is?" Elora reached out in front of her until she could run her fingers over Cheryl's face. Fortunately the other knew that it was Elora's way of 'seeing' her and didn't pull away.

Ciel..."

"What?! But Ciel's a man!"

"Actually, he's a girl trapped in a male version of himself." ...Well, that was also pretty embarrassing to say.

"How the hell did he birth you?!"

"She was born as a girl, but after she got caught by those people, they cast a spell on her to trap her in a boy's body. Then she met dad and you know the rest."

"How are you still alive if I'm not dead...does Sebastian know who your mother is? I think he should know before he kills me."

"He knows, and I told him not to kill you. I'm here now because I'm from the future."

"I know that...but what you're saying isn't matching up. Unless there was some terrible accident, I should have lived for two more years, yet you were still born. While time remained unaltered, you were still born, but now that you've altered Sebastian's judgment...who knows what you've done..."

"I come from two centuries from now - in this time I'm not even born yet!"

"And I die in two years. You shouldn't be worried at all."

Cheryl rubbed her neck sheepishly. "I guess I'm just worried." She conjured a rose pendant and hung it around the other's neck. "Here, it's a necklace with a rose pendant; think of it as a little gift."

"Elora. And Cheryl." Sebastian greeted the pair as he joined them.

"Hello father."

"What are you doing?"

"Talking to Ms. Elora."

"Don't bother her."

"Dad, its okay."

"It's fine. I just wanted to know why I was going to die, though it seems now that my death will be more than pointless." Elora cut in with a sigh.

"I am sorry. Be nice though." The demonic butler warned.

"Yes dad."

Elora wasn't going to quietly obey though. "For what? Suddenly trying to kill me for a daughter who is born by an apparent morphodite two centuries into the future?"

"For everything." Sebastian clarified as he ruffled Cheryl's hair.

"You're forgiven. Besides, right now you're not my main concern..."

"I know; give me time and I swear that I will work something out."

Cheryl huffed, smacking herself hard enough on the head that her fox ears and tail popped out. "Whatever...just don't fight or anything..." she fully transformed into her kitsune form and paced restlessly.

"Whatever." Elora muttered before wandering off to take a nap.

_=Luka, Sophia=_

"Hey kid," Sophia greeted Luka when she caught sight of him.

"...Hi..."

"What's wrong?"

"...I ran."

"I would have hurt you, but I don't hurt humans. You're perfectly safe, Luka."

"Promise?"

"You have my word."

Luka giggled. "Okay then!"

"Please don't think badly of me, Luka." Sophia had doubts on how sincere the boy's words were. "I'm only doing my job. I don't mean to cause you

pain and suffering..."

"I don't think you're bad..."

"That's my good boy; let's keep it like that, shall we?"

"Okay!"

"So do you want to go to the park?"

"Park?! Okay, Sophie!"

"Come on, I'll race you."

Luka was off, and kept a fairly good pace. "I'm gonna win!"

He did too. Sophia let him, but neither of them were taking the race seriously to begin with.

"Yay! I win, I win!"

"You're very fast, kid."

"I am very fast!"

Sophia smiled. The kid in question was too adorable.

"Let's play, Sophie!"

"Okay." The demon hunter waited until Luka had picked out a swing and sat down before starting to push him. "You all right up there?"

"Higher, Sophie, higher!"

Sophie obliged but Luka ended up falling off of the swing and landing on the ground hard enough to scrape his hands and knees. "Uwaah!"

That wasn't the only injury the boy had.

"Oh God, I'm pretty sure your leg isn't supposed to bend that way," Sophia commented without thinking.

"It hurts, Sophie!" Luka whimpered before passing out from the pain.

_=Cheryl, Dante=_

Dante caught sight of Cheryl after she'd changed back to her human form. "Hey."

"Hello Daniel."

"What are you doing?"

"I was talking to my father and Ms. Elora." Cheryl replied as she followed her father to the dungeon and sat beside him, smiling to herself.

_=Cheryl, Elora, Sebastian=_

Sebastian watched Elora return to her cell in the dungeon (he'd locked her room in such a way that he was the only one who could open it) and waited for her to fall asleep before sitting next to her and gently resting her head on his shoulder. "I promise not to let anything happen to you," he whispered in her ear as he wrapped his arms around her. "Cheryl, are you okay with this for a while? It doesn't mean that I won't fall in love with your mother." He then asked the young woman sitting beside him.

Cheryl snuggled against the demonic butler. "Yeah, I don't mind," she laughed a little. "I love you, dad."

"We could be your temporary family for a while. It would be good for you."

"I'm okay with that...I miss mom anyways." Cheryl took a piece of paper out of her pocket and unfolded it, showing her father the picture of their family on the inside. "I drew this to keep me company... It sure does help."

"I wish there was something that I could do to help you get back to your own time."

"I don't mind. As long as you and mom are around...I'll eventually go back, but there are things that I have to do first. Besides, I want to get to know mom and you a little better," she smiled.

"I am happy to answer any questions that you may have."

Elora stirred suddenly. "No...no...no! The fire - stop the fire! Samara!"

"Wake up, you're having a nightmare."

The blind woman did wake up - with a scream. "Samara!"

"It's okay, you were only having a nightmare."

"...Uggh, thank God..."

"I'll ask another time. You okay, Elora?" Cheryl questioned.

"Far from..."

Cheryl conjured a flute and started to play but Elora waved her silent. "I don't want to hear any noise right now...the screams are still fresh in my mind. All I want is to be left alone and some silence."

"Okay." Cheryl nodded. "I'm going to go for a bit; see you two around."

"Goodbye Cheryl."

_=Dante, Thorn=_

Thorn was once again in the kitchen looking for something to eat.

"Hello beautiful."

"Oh hey, Dante." the blonde said as she turned and saw who was talking to her.

"What are you doing?"

Looking for something to eat. Why? What did you think I was doing?" An eye roll accompanied the comment.

"I could make you something to eat if you wanted."

Thorn closed the cabinet that she was peering into. "I don't cook, so that would be great."

Dante obliged and quickly got to work.

"What are you making me?"

"Ice cream."

The blonde smiled. "How did you know I liked ice cream?"

"I know you have a sweet tooth."

"Doesn't every girl?"

"True." Dante chuckled a little.

"If you had chocolate sauce for it, I'd be in heaven."

Dante added chocolate sauce.

"Now we're talking!"

Dante chuckled more as his lover grabbed the bowl of ice cream and dug in. "Does it taste nice?"

"Of course it does, it's ice cream with chocolate sauce on it. How can it not taste good?"

"To a demon, food is unpleasant at best."

"You're missing out then," Thorn ate another bite of her ice cream.

"Perhaps."

"No 'perhaps' about it; you're missing out."

_"Surely it can't taste that good,"_ the demon thought to himself, then saw Thorn suggestively lick the spoon and grinned.

_=Elora, Sebastian=_

"Are you all right?" Sebastian asked Elora once Cheryl had left.

"Yeah...I'm fine."

"If you're sure, stay still. I want to do something."

"Fine..." Elora sat up but held still since she wasn't sure what the demonic butler was going to do. She felt his hands brush over the spot on her neck where he'd marked her, but nothing else. He must have taken off the contract seal - her hand didn't feel any sign of it when she warily touched her neck.

"You won't have any more pain now."

"Why?"

"Just because."

"That's not a reason! I'm free game for everyone now!"

"No you won't, because I will protect you...that is, if you still want me to. I cannot explain why, but I just feel like you should have some sort of life."

"Whatever...this is too much for me to process...I'm going for a walk." Elora forced herself to get up and walked back down to her waterfalls.

"All right, I will be here when you get back."

_=Claude, Sebastian=_

Claude stepped out of the shadows, keeping an eye on Sebastian. "So, Michaelis, this is how the Phantomhives conduct business? By running around mindlessly?" He chuckled dryly.

"What do you want?"

"Oh, nothing in particular. I've lost sight of my young master so I'm taking a needed break. Is your young master around?"

"He is not here; now leave."

"So cold towards a fellow fiend of hell."

"Because you always steal what is mine."

"If I recall, I stole nothing from you. Or are you just jealous?"

Sebastian frowned. "I am not jealous. How do you explain that you were trying to steal Ciel away from me?"

Claude's golden eyes glimmered as the very corner of his mouth twitched upward in what could have been a smirk.

_=Brin, Elora=_

After resting for a while, Elora got up and stepped into a shallow pool of water, kicking the liquid up suddenly as she started to dance and sing the words that went with her routine.

"There you are."

The blind woman suddenly stopped even though she could tell that it was only Brin who'd seen her. "What?"

"I couldn't find you in your room."

"Oh, well, what is it that you need?"

"Nothing. Can't two girl friends just talk?"

Elora shrugged. "What do you want to talk about then?"

"Anything and everything."

"I'm not very good at starting conversations."

"Neither am I." Brin thought for a moment. "Um... Do you want to know what my boyfriend's last crazy invention was?"

"Shoot."

"Okay, his last crazy invention was the one that made it rain chocolate, but he ran out of chocolate, so..." Brin burst out laughing.

Elora laughed with her. "This probably isn't right, but... SHIT!"

"Yes! He buried the city under piles of SHIT! Ha!"

"Is he the one who caused global warming with that?"

"Yup, that's him."

He might kill us all with that then, you know..." Elora stopped laughing a little.

"I guess... Anyway, what are you and Sebastian up to?"

"Imagine a bickering couple with one of them also being really depressed."

Brin chuckled a little to lighten the mood. "Lovely."

"But it does get annoying after a while."

_=Claude, Elora, Sebastian=_

Once Sebastian got tired of waiting, he went to find Elora. Needless to say, this was easy to do.

"Are you finished thinking? You've been here a good four hours."

Four hours? Maybe she'd gotten a little too into enjoying herself, and a little too into the conversation with Brin, which had ended a while ago. "Do you need something?"

"No."

"Then are you here to stalk me?"

"No, I came here because I was worried."

"What's wrong with you? You're so mopey it's depressing. Seriously, is it because you aren't eating?"

The demonic butler huffed and turned to leave. "Forget it; this is pointless."

"Get over here! If you're hungry, I don't mind!"

Sebastian stopped as he felt a hand clasp around his arm. "Why do you care if I am hungry or not? You're free now, so go live your life. You don't have to be concerned about me anymore."

"But it pisses me off seeing you running around moping and whatnot! How are you supped to get anything done when all you can do is sigh and be compliant? That's not the demon who forced me to get engaged to him. You started this mess and you bet your ass that you're going to see it through the end with your head held high. How are you going to earn anyone's respect the way you are? Gosh, I'm more scared of Dante than you."

"Look, human, I do not mope - you are confusing the hell out of me. When my head is clear, you will be mine again. There are other ways of showing everyone that you are mine. Do you know how pathetic it is, that you come crying to me when you're in pain? If you're going to be engaged to me, I would rather you not whimper in pain when you are hurting. Can you imagine how that would look to other demons? You either have my mark or no mark; got that, human?"

"As long as you're not always dragging your feet around everywhere you go. It really does get annoying after so long."

"I could say the same about you. Don't get used to freedom for too long."

Claude decided to troll by playing a sad violin tune in the background.

"Shut up! This has nothing to do with you!" Elora growled just as Sebastian said, "Do not make me hurt you."

The golden-eyed demon put down the violin only to retrieve a couple handfuls of golden knives and forks. "After you..."

Sebastian gritted his teeth and pulled some of the brilliant silver Phantomhive cutlery out of thin air.

Elora sighed, the sound of high-end silverware clicking together being one that was very familiar to her. "Is it suddenly a trend to now carry knives and forks everywhere you go?"

"I do; he is annoying."

"Of course, my Lady, what kind of Trancy butler would I be otherwise?"

The blind woman sighed. "Don't fight if you don't have a good reason to, seriously. And if you do end up fighting, just don't ruin the area, okay?"

"Fine." Sebastian sighed.

"Thanks. Now, if you'd excise me..." Elora turned to leave and ran smack into something broad and sturdy but a little padded. After a little inspection she realized it had to be Claude. With a huff, she went around him, muttering something about "stupid, soundless, corpses."

Claude smirked internally. _"She smelled rather nice." _

* * *

[Roleplayer Credits]

CBI writer

Fluffy-Little-MLH

Karshiva

Ruby of Raven

TheSilentNeko

Snow Woman


	20. I - 10

**Warnings, Disclaimers, **and _Special Notes_ \- refer to those at the top of Chapter 1.

* * *

_=Saffi, Sophia=_

"Now, where were we...ah, there we are..." Saffi cleaned Sophia's wound and closed it with her tongue. "You're hurt badly... Shouldn't have started on Hannah, eh?"

"It was worth it to make Hannah armless, although I didn't expect the pain to be so bad."

Saffi smirked. "I guess you haven't gotten any limbs severed before then? Anyway, an armless demon is still a live one..."

"I know."

"Aren't you worried...because you drank my blood?"

"Yeah, I'm not going to become a vampire now, am I? It's not going to affect me, is it?"

"No...it was worth it to see you unsettled though. The only way you'd become one of us is for you to drink it after biting my skin yourself."

"Go to hell; if I become one of you then I would go insane."

"That's why I have no wish of turning you - you're amusing enough as you are..."

Sophia huffed. "I'm so glad that I provide you with entertainment."

"And I'm glad you're still alive. And so glad I made the contract... Yes, you'd definitely be dead without me."

"I guess. Now do you want your fill now or later?" "Mm, I think I'll take it in just a minute..." Saffi licked her lips, showing her fangs.

"Were you born this way or were you turned? As in being a vampire all the time, or were you human once?"

"I was turned when I was three... One hundred and fourteen in vampire years, and eleven in human years..."

"I see..."

"When I was one hundred and nine, I woke up in a unfamiliar village, and with no sign of my creator nearby. I met a blonde-haired, blue-eyed child - he was nice - but I only made contact with him once even though I watched him for much longer. After a fire destroyed the village, I found a manor and came to reside in it...came to reside here. I was fed by the Goth-emo donors of the city; they would beg for me to take from them at times... Although...your blood is much better..."

"I really don't understand why my blood is better through."

Saffi shrugged." I honestly don't know. I've only drank two other people's blood before that are like yours, and I've ended up killing them because I was pissed off and bored - they both were hunters, and had some connections to a big, historic event - like a relative surviving the Great Fire of London even though they were in the city when it burned - or a future event... Hey, I'm hungry. Is that Claude I smell?"

"I don't know."

"I'll check later then.

"Anyway, I guess I must've been really annoyed to kill them though... You might play a big part in the near future if nothing else has happened just yet..."

Sophia followed the blue-haired girl as she wandered off, most likely looking for Claude.

_=Claude, Dante=_

"You're Claude, right?" Dante asked the golden-eyed demon, who straightened up and bowed when he was acknowledged.

"Yes sir. Claude Faustus at your service."

Dante nodded. "My name is Dante. ...Well, Claude, what do you think of Sebastian?"

"I could care less about him. I guess you could also say that I hate him." Dante seemed like he would share the golden-eyed demon's opinion of Ciel Phantomhive's butler.

"All right."

_=Sophia, Thorn=_

"Hey, demon lover."

Thorn looked up and glared at Sophia, one of the people she'd rather not see. "What do you want?"

"What makes you think that I want anything?"

"Nothing." Thorn shrugged.

"You're nervous though."

"Nervous of what, you? Ha! Don't make me laugh."

"Yes, me."

"Believe whatever you want."

"I will."

Thorn only glared at the demon hunter.

"I'm going to kill your boyfriend today."

Thorn smirked. "Good luck with that."

"Just letting you know so you can break up with him anytime."

"Gee, thanks."

"You're welcome."

Thorn glared more. "Now that you've told me all this, I guess you have no reason to still be here...so scram!"

Her job being done, Sophia complied and left.

_=Claude, Dante, Elora, Thorn=_

Elora walked into the kitchen wondering if there was any cherry pie left and grinning in excitement at the thought.

"Hello." A voice that she recognized as Dante's asked. It still made her jump a little though.

"Oh, hey. Is there any cherry pie left?"

"I don't know."

"Then you're of no help to me." Elora started rooting through the fridge, quietly humming to herself as she did so.

Dante regarded her for a few moments. "So he took the mark off of you. Well, that's a perfect invitation for me, don't you think so?"

"No. He said that there was another way that he had his 'mark' on me. I don't know what he means, but I believe him. Besides, I wouldn't try to pull anything stupid; I'm also not afraid to use the Cross on you."

"I am so frightened of a human, but as of this moment you are not his. I can, therefore, do whatever I like."

Elora straightened up even more. "I can still protect myself. One misstep and I will exorcise you."

"That's nice for you."

"It's what I tend to excel in." Elora smirked even as Dante moved closer but backed away a little while grabbing at the cross in her pocket. "This is your last chance, Dante."

"If you bring that out, there will be consequences."

"You wouldn't be able to do anything."

Claude, who had remained silent the entire time, watched the pair in amusement as Dante grabbed Elora's arms and kissed her while taking a photograph of it.

"There we go, I wonder what Sebastian will say when I show him time."

"The hell, man! I'm telling Thorn, you little two-timer!"

"I didn't cheat on you, I am merely getting blackmail, that's all."

"I don't think she'll see it that way!" Elora pulled away and, after reorienting herself, ran from the room. "Thorn! Thorn! I've got something to tell you!"

Fortunately Thorn wasn't too far away. "What are you screaming about?"

"Dante...he...forced a...kiss...on...me... He's cheating...on you... I really hate running, yet I'm good at it..." Elora dropped to her knees. Having to focus on listening to her footsteps so she wouldn't run into walls was tiring.

"WHAT?!" Thorn pulled the blind woman up by the front of her shirt. "You better not be lying to me!"

"I'm not! I wouldn't lie about this!"

Dante chose that moment to arrive on the scene. "Thorn, she is taking this way out of context. I didn't cheat on you, Sebastian set her free and I was merely trying to take her soul away."

"And you kissed me!" Elora screeched.

"To try and steal your soul."

"Damn it!" Thorn dropped Elora and rounded on her lover. "Through a freaking kiss!?"

"That's how it works; what? Did you expect me to just grab it? Trust me, it's not fun when you're taking away a human's soul."

Thorn continued to glare at Dante.

"Still! Now give me that photo!" Elora had managed to figure out about where Dante was standing and lunged at the demon.

"I haven't cheated on you, Thorn," Dante moved away from Elora and closer to the blonde, "no way."

"...We'll talk about this later."

_=Claude, Penelope, Saffi, Sophia=_

"Hey Claude-y, can I have some more of your blood?" The blue-haired girl gave the golden-eyed demon huge puppy-dog eyes while licking her lips.

The small but seductive smirk that appeared on Claude's face could have easily been a trick of the light, but the brilliant red glow of his eyes wasn't. "Just _don't _be gentle."

"Of course I won't be! You didn't think I would be, right?" Saffi smirked back as he eyes started to glow vermillion. "Sophia, tell him how strong my bite is..."

"Her bite really does hurt," the demon hunter verified, a bit miffed that she'd allowed Saffi to see her in pain when she was bitten earlier.

"See? I really don't..." Saffi leaned into Claude and pulled him down so she could take in his scent, "...enjoy being gentle. Sophia, I won't need any more feeding for today unless Claude doesn't give me enough."

"Of course not, my Lady," Claude allowed her to open his collar and expose his neck, concentrating on keeping his cool as Saffi tried to make him uncomfortable by lightly breathing on his neck. "Well, go on, or are you scared of my demonic blood?"

"I'm waiting - Sophia is so easy to wind up. It's not like I haven't drank from you, or any other demon, before...so steady yourself... Your blood is so tempting, so divine, that I might have to..."

"I'm going to be sick, you chewing on a demon." Sophia shuddered.

Saffi grinned at the demon hunter, still with her now-elongated fangs an inch away from the golden-eyed demon's neck. "I know... Just try not to puke..." The blue-haired girl then lunged at Claude's neck and sunk her teeth in as deep as possible, hoping that she was giving him a lot of pain.

The golden-eyed demon let out a small groan of pain. "So piercing... I can feel the river of blood stream from my body. What a beautiful sensation!"

"Mmm, you taste nice..." Saffi paused to lick up the excess. "It's going to be a while before this stops... Ahh, we have to do this again sometime!"

Claude gently caressed her cheek. "Yes we will."

"I am going to go now..." Sophia quickly left, only to nearly run into Penelope. The female reaper quickly moved out of the way and peered into the other room to see what all the fuss was about. "Yeah, run and let the demon win, why don't you?"

"And if they go further than just drinking blood? I love my innocent eyes."

"I heard that!" Saffi snapped before going back to feeding.

"A demon hunter with innocent eyes?" Penelope scoffed.

"It was a joke, you know."

"I'm a bit tired of those since I'm usually the butt of them at work."

Saffi rolled her eyes, looking at Penelope as she paused to catch her breath. "You want to see something rash?" She asked as she went back to drinking.

"..." Penelope didn't get it.

"Mmm..." Saffi whined in frustration as she realized that Claude was healing himself. It's stopped... Y'know, I used to hate you..."

"And I used to not care for you, but that could change." Claude slowly pulled away. "I must return to my master. Good day."

_=Luka, Sophia=_

Sophia didn't want to move Luka until he regained consciousness. "Luka! I'm so sorry."

"Sophie! Is it broken? It's broken, isn't it?" He added when he saw the look on her face.

"I am not a doctor, but by the way your leg is bent, I'm going to say yes. Come on, let's go to the hospital."

"But I can't get up!" Luka winced and bit his lip when Sophia picked him up in response.

"Hey, my brave solider, just think about how you're going to be treated when you get home."

"Treats?"

"Yeah. You know what, that demon's always treating you anyway."

"H-H-Hannah gets me...ice cream." Luka shivered and tried not to cry as they entered the hospital.

Yeah, I know. Although, I think that she'll blame me for this. Not that I care though... _She's not a threat without her arms._"

_=Claude, Luka, Sophia=_

"I can't walk very good with these." Luka stumbled around with the aid of his new child-sized crutches. The doctor had confirmed that his leg was broken and was able to quickly set his leg and put it in a cast since it was a clean break.

"Do you want me to pick you up then, kid?" Sophia asked.

"No, I can do it."

"I'm sorry."

Luka smiled. "It's not your fault, Sophie."

"Yes it is, I shouldn't have pushed you so hard."

"But I told you to push me higher."

"...Is the pain any better, kid?"

"A little bit."

Sophia didn't reply but pushed the boy behind her when she saw Claude. Not that it mattered much - the golden-eyed demon pulled out a sharpie and wrote 'Claude Rulez' in the middle of a web that he drew on Luka's cast.

" I don't think Luka wants a demon's signature on his cast."

The boy in question stuck out his tongue a little as he pouted. "You do not rule."

Claude ignored the comment and wandered off to do some snooping.

"You're very brave." Sophia started again after a brief silence, ruffling his hair when he smiled at her. "What do you want to do now?"

"I want to go home..."

"Alright." Sophia nodded.

As soon as they got home, Luka hobbled over to the nearest couch and fell asleep.

...

_"Now, I believe it's time to do something useful whilst I'm in the Phantomhive manor."_

"What are you doing?"

Claude didn't even try to hide the fact that he was looking though a chest of drawers from Sebastian. "Looking for a broom."

The Phantomhive butler gave him a broom that he'd seemingly pulled from thin air. "Start cleaning then, since you're here."

"Psh!" Claude huffed. The golden-eyed demon waited until the other had left before slipping into Ciel's room. It had to be the little lord's - the human's scent was very strong, showing that he used the room in question often.

"Stop being so nosy." Claude found himself pinned against a wall. Apparently Sebastian hadn't gone far.

"But I already found something quite interesting..."

"And what would that be?"

Claude held up a set of fluffy white rabbit ears and a matching cotton ball tail. "Are these yours? If so, I didn't know you were a furry."

"They aren't mine!" Sebastian snatched the ears and tail away and hid them. No one (especially Claude) needed to know about his little...quirks. "I am going to kill you."

"And what's this? A dress for a young girl, or possibly a young boy? You shouldn't touch your charge like that."

"I'm going to _kill you_." Sebastian shoved Claude into the wall hard enough to send cracks through the plaster but the golden-eyed demon quickly slipped out of his grip and reappeared behind him.

"Doesn't this feel familiar?" Claude pressed a gold knife to Sebastian's neck only to feel the fine edge of a Phantomhive knife at his own throat.

"Perhaps."

"You're not worth it today."

"Neither are you."

_=Dante, Elora=_

"You know it's not nice to tell on people."

"She had a right to know." Elora folded her arms over her chest. She wasn't surprised that Dante had decided to track her down.

"That I was trying to take your soul away?"

"That you kissed me! I don't know what they mean to you demons, but kisses mean a lot in the human world. They're a display of large amounts of infatuation, and when shared between two people who aren't family or married they're considered wrong."

"I am telling you, it's how the soul is best extracted from the body," Dante sighed. "You humans and your feelings, honestly; you do realize that is what Sebastian is going to have to do to get your own soul?"

Elora hadn't thought of that.

"Exactly. You see, through kisses we are able to not only extract souls, but also to see what kind of soul it is and also if it is maturing."

"Like opening the door of an oven to see if the meal is finished or if it's any good."

"Precisely."

The blind woman massaged her temples, trying to get the demon's suddenly smug face out of her head, while turning to leave. "Why am I even hanging out with you? You've threatened me more than once already today, so I think I'm going to split."

_=Alois, Claude, Demon Triplets Hannah, Luka, Sophia=_

"Good evening, your Highness. Would you like some tea?" Claude asked Alois later that day.

"Yes, I would, and don't make it too hot like you did before."

"Not too hot now," Thompson murmured.

"Wouldn't want to burn the master's tongue," Canterbury added.

"Wouldn't that be bad," Timber finished, all three of the demons triplets watching Claude.

The golden-eyed demon ignored the triplets and did as asked, bringing the blonde earl a perfect cup of Camellia tea. "Here, sir."

Alois took the cup but didn't drink. "Luka is back, Claude. Hannah brought him back, and she said that she didn't obey me anymore, but Luka isn't the same brother I used to know. He's...changed."

"What do you wish me to do then?"

"I want things how they used to be with you, the triplets, and Hannah. Luka isn't part of this family anymore, he abandoned me when he died. Claude, I want you to get Hannah back in a contract with me."

As if knowing she'd been summoned, Hannah slowly walked into the room. "Even thought I am no longer contracted to Luka, my life belongs to him now... I apologize."

However, the demoness was ignored.

_"Don't care... So bored... I wonder where Ciel is?"_ But what Claude actually said was, "You still belong to me, your Highness. Remember that."

"But he will try to take you away from me too; one by one, you will all go. And I'll be on my own again."

Claude's eyes shifted from dull gold to brilliant vermillion. "Shall I kill him then?"

"Yes."

The Trancy butler moved to the sleeping Luka's side and calmly moved the blanket covering the boy just enough to comfortably grasp his neck. Vertebrae creaked as he considered whether his master would want suffocation or a snapped neck to be the cause of death.

"..." Luka woke up but froze when he saw the demon standing so close.

Claude moved away a little and waited for the boy to relax before moving behind him and knocking him unconscious. Alois hadn't told him when Luka needed to die, after all...

"Is it done yet?" Alois asked.

"Yes, your Highness."

"Owww..."

Well, Luka recovered faster than expected...

"What did you do to him?" Alois glared at his demonic butler.

"I sent him into a state of senselessness. It appears that he's waking up now."

That wasn't what Alois wanted, but it would have to do for now. "Maybe that will teach him that he can't take what is mine. But Claude, you won't leave me, right? You'll stay by my side forever?"

"Yes, your Highness. Once I devour you, you will be with me for eternity."

"That's what I want."

"W-w-what happened?" Luka rubbed his head. "My head hurts... Hannah!"

Hannah, who'd watched the entire scene, unfroze and rushed to his side.

"Is Luka okay?" Sophia asked as she walked by the room.

"I don't know... Please, can you help me?" The armless demoness asked the demon hunter. Although she hated Sophia they both adored Luka.

Luka shivered when he pulled his hand back and saw blood on his palm.

"I'm sorry, but I can't help you anymore..." Hannah looked down and shot a glare at Claude. "Claude knocked you out..."

_=Elora, Sebastian=_

_"Demons take souls through kisses... Then he would've had countless opportunities to take mine..."_ Elora thought to herself after she and Dante had parted.

"Hello."

Well, speak of the devil.

"Hey, how are you?" Elora replied to Sebastian.

"I am back to my normal self. You?"

"My head feels like it's going to explode, and I'm really hungry. Do you know if there is any cherry pie left?"

"Yes, there should be some left." The demonic butler handed her a slice. "Are you feeling all right? It would really suck if I lose your soul to illness."

"Don't worry yourself too much. I've gone through too much to be taken out by sickness. Mmmm... a little slice of paradise." Elora hummed and made sure there was a wall behind her before leaning against it and eating her pie.

"Still, you cannot be too careful. After you finish your pie, I want you in your room."

"Why? Is there another fight between Sophia and Hannah? If it's something like that, I can handle myself; I've been chased by a serial killer who slaughtered my entire family for the past year."

"I'm sure that you can handle yourself around humans, but not so much when it comes to supernatural creatures. Room, now. Don't make me repeat myself."

The blind woman sighed but finished her pie and went to her room, which was now unlocked. "I understand." _"I wonder what kind of mess has erupted now..."_

_=Hannah, Luka, Sophia=_

"Did someone call?" Hannah looked around, confused, before going to Luka's room. "Luka?" She'd gone to find something to clean Luka's head with, and when she came back, he was gone.

Unfortumnately, the demoness ran into Sophia first. The demon hunter had just moved the boy to his own room.

"Luka broke his leg when I took him out to the park."

"H-Hannah...?"

Hannah turned to Luka, who was rubbing his eyes again but no longer covered by the blanket he had on the couch. "Oh my gosh... Your leg!"

"I fell," the boy yawned again.

"I guess we're both a bit...injured..." Hannah glared at Sophia a little.

The demon hunter smirked. "just don't try to hug him. Oh, I forgot you don't have any arms."

"What happened to your arms?"

"Well, I had a small accident in the kitchen, darling..." The boy wouldn't like to hear that she'd lost them fighting.

"You should be more careful, Hannah. Can't you heal them?"

"Like my, eye, which is already much better, it will take a while."

Luka pulled Hannah down to his level and gently touched her face. You should be more careful since you keep getting hurt," he sniffled. "I don't like it when you get hurt."

"When your leg is healed, do you want to do some training again, Luka?" Sophia broke the silence.

"I think Luka would rather go to get some ice cream with me when he is feeling batter..." Hannah frowned.

"You aren't scared that he'll turn out like me?"

"Yes... Scared that he'll turn into a limb-severing, emotionless monster."

"Would you like your head to go next? I would very much enjoy kicking it around like a ball."

Luka looked between the two nervously. "...I want to be able to protect myself and Hannah."

"Then I will train you to the best of my abilities." The boy's answer wasn't exactly what the demon hunter was waiting for, but it was a start.

"Okay Sophie! Hear that, Hannah? I'm going to get strong!"

"I will train you the way that I learned how to be a hunter. You can protect the people you care about that way."

Hannah glared at Sophia again. "I guess that's okay, Luka..."

"Yay!"

* * *

[Roleplayer Credits]

CBI Writer

Fluffy-Little-MLH

Freedom of Creation

Magdalena Saffi-Ann Way-Iero

Ruby of Raven

TheSilentNeko

Snow Woman

SteelPorcelainMXIV


	21. I - 11

**Warnings, Disclaimers, **and _Special Notes_ \- refer to those at the top of Chapter 1.

_Special Note: _I'm going through all of the chapters and substituting ... with the names of the characters found in the section. Things may be easier to keep track of this way.

* * *

_=Hannah, Luka, Penelope, Sophia=_

"Then I am going to train Luka now." Sophia told the boy in question and Hannah.

"I'm gonna be strong like you, Hannah!" Luka giggled and showed off the little muscle he had. "But my leg..."

"I know; we are going to be cautious of not hitting that leg."

Penelope randomly wandered into Luka's room, having heard Sophia and Hannah arguing. "Uhh, hey guys. Have you seen-" she trailed off, her eyes widening when she saw Luka.

"I-I-I fell..." the boy gulped.

"But still cuute!"

Luka giggled and blushed a bit at Penelope's compliment.

"Want to help?" Sophia asked the female reaper before turning back to Hannah. "Would you like to help too?"

Penelope was too preoccupied with Luka to notice the question.

"I apologize, but I find that I cannot..." the demoness looked down bitterly.

"Okay, I will make sure that Luka has fun playing with sharp, dangerous objects then. Bye." Sophia smirked.

"You dare put his life in danger?!"

"He wants to learn hunter moves to protect what is dear to him, so of course I'm going to put his life in danger, but under controlled conditions."

Luka pouted, oblivious to the tension. "But Hannah, we should train together! Please?"

Hannah only shook her head and left.

"So shall we train then?" Sophia asked to distract the boy.

"I still need my crutches though."

_=Elora, Sebastian=_

Elora eventually got bored of lying down so she got up and started dancing and singing to pass the time. At one point she reached out and grabbed something long and slender - the broom she kept for reasons unknown - and began twirling it around with one arm, then the other, as gracefully as if she was fencing.

Sebastian silently entered the room and watched her, smirking to himself when she didn't notice him.

...Until the creaking of bedsprings as he sat down on her bed caused her to drop the broom and pull out the gun she always had hidden on her person.

"You really need to stop that, or else I will die before my two-year notice. What is it that you wanted to talk about?" The blind woman returned the gun to its holster. It had to be Sebastian paying a visit - her guest was quiet enough to make it to her bed without her noticing and didn't beg for mercy when she'd pointed the gun at them.

Sebastian rolled up his sleeve and cut his arm, allowing his blood to drip down onto the carpet. "Drink. This is the other way I was talking about."

"What will it do to me?" Elora blanched, knowing what had happened by the coppery smell and the steady but soft dripping noise.

"Shut up and do what I say."

"B-But what will it do to me? I don't want to die, I don't know it I'm ready. Will it turn me into a demon? Will it kill and damn me?"

"You will still remain human, and not turn into a demon. And I am sure that you're already damned anyway. Just so what I say...last chance."

Shaking slightly, Elora approached the demonic butler, somehow managing to find his arm and roll back his sleeve even more before finding the wound and gently sucking on it.

"Good girl." Sebastian leaned over her, biting her neck and drinking hungrily.

The blind woman gasped and accidentally dropped his arm, blood smearing across her lips.

"That should be enough anyway."

A little lightheaded, Elora fell to her knees, flinching as she tried to touch the wound on her neck. "You could have warned me beforehand - you're obviously pretty hungry."

"I don't need you to tell you anything, human. Anyway, neither Dante nor any other demon won't come anywhere near you now. I can promise you that."

"But what did you do to me?" Elora wiped the excess blood from her lips. "Your blood tastes...weird."

"If I tell you you're going to have nightmares, so I think that the less information you know, the better."

Elora sighed and stood up. "Can just a few words really give me nightmares? Whatever, I need to change. I most likely made a mess of your blood on my clothes." She felt her way to her dresser and ran her fingers over the various fabrics inside.

"Oh, a new little tip for you: for your own health, I wouldn't recommend going to church for a while."

The blind woman froze. "For how long?"

"Two years, give or take a few months."

"That's the rest of my life!" Elora focused enough to recognize the material of one of her white dresses, then stomped over to her bed and made sure that Sebastian was on the other side of the curtain hanging around it before changing. "That's cheating completely."

"Too bad. It's either the pain or this, you decide. And I am a demon - cheating is in the description."

"I should have known better." Elora kicked the bloody dress to the side and put on her new dress, but started to have trouble with the zipper. "Shit. Not today, damn zipper..."

A larger pair of gloved hands gently pushed hers aside and fixed the zipper.

"Thanks. Now if you'll excuse me." Elora turned to leave but Sebastian suddenly pulled her back and kissed her. She resisted for a moment but eventually decided that giving in was a better course of action, letting the demonic butler deepen the kiss as well. Her legs slowly began to buckle but Elora didn't care - all she wanted was the brief little moments where she could take a short breath of air.

"See my dear? You're officially damned."

"I...wont fall... I...won't!"

"My dear, you can't protest anymore. Since the day you met me, you were falling, falling right out of the sky, cast out of Paradise, your white wings being peeled back and black ones growing as replacements, and today, with this final act you truly fell. But you didn't crash - no, I will always catch you; you will never be cast out by me. You're mine, and neither heaven nor hell will take you away from me."

Elora swallowed nervously but shakily leaned in and kissed him back. "D-Don't let me go... Don't let me crash..." she clung to him tighter as a loud thunderclap suddenly broke the silence.

"Never, I promise you that.

"You would have had such beautiful, innocent eyes if I first met you when you had them, but now they are corrupted and you are not broken. You're like a diamond, you get chipped at over time but you never break no matter what you go through or whatever trauma you see, my corrupted diamond."

"Thank you." Elora flushed as she stood on her toes and kissed the demonic butler fiercely while weaving her fingers through his soft hair until Sebastian started to pull away.

"Do you have feelings for me, Elora? A monstrous creature like me?"

The woman in question softly caressed his face. "My pride is still holding onto me with an iron grip, but beneath all of that, I think I really do love you. Because I am blind, I did not fall for you because of how you looked. No, I fell for the one under the skin - that's what I think, at least. Yet I think the true question is: do you love me? You told me before that demons can't love; tell me, is that still true?" She leaned into him and rested her head on his chest.

"That is true - a demon cannot love. It's a simple and well-known fact. However, I can make you feel loved, I can make you feel safe. You're the only one who can feel things, Elora. Our kind...it's our punishment for rebelling, to not feel anything. It's maddening, really. But I can promise you that I want to care and protect you to the core of my black heart. That's all I can offer."

"But don't you see? That drive to make me _feel_ loved, to know how to interact without reading a book and instead relying on instinct to tell you what to do, and how to make the other party know that you are thinking of them every day - Sebastian, that _is _love. You just haven't realized it yet. You won't admit it to yourself...why? Are you scared you'll fall deeper as well? I'll be there to catch you as well, and break your fall, but...even if you don't realize it now...please, hold me tonight and don't let go."

"I can't. If I do I am afraid of what may happen after your two years are up. I can't let myself feel anything because I know that I am going to be the death of you."

"I understand...it'll take you longer to realize it than I thought it would, but like they say, 'all good things come to those who wait,' right?"

Sebastian smirked as he found himself being guided to the bed. "I am afraid your blindness might have stayed you off to the wrong path, Elora. Or perhaps the right one, in my case," he perched on the edge of the bed and welcomed another of the blind woman's sweet, gentle kisses, partially because he couldn't believe the turn that events had taken and also because he could tell that Elora was wanting to savor this moment for as long as possible.

_{...timeskip...__}_

Elora sighed and wiped her face as Sebastian stroked her hair. "I'm torn. Half of me wants to run myself over with a horse while the other half wants to leap with joy. Ugh... now I'll never see them again," she sighed, leaning into him, "Sorry if I fall asleep, I'm still pretty tired..."

"That's true, you have no white featherss left to soar up to them, but remember that this was your decision. I didn't force you."

Elora mumbled something that sounded like, "The glamour of sin can really be a bitch at times," before falling asleep.

"I'll say."

_=Connie, Queen, Luka, Penelope, Sophia=_

Queen Victoria smiled at Connie. "So, have you and Mr. Fluffy been having fun?"

"Yes."

"And have you shown your daddy yet? I know he'll love it!"

"Not yet."

"Let's go show him, then afterwards we can take him on a walk if you want."

"Okie dokie!"

"Hi Connie! hi Mr. Fluffy!" Luka chirped.

"Hi Luka." Connie took Mr. Fluffy to get his leash from the other room.

"Luka, what happened?" Victoria asked when she saw the boy's crutches.

"I fell."

"Aww, are you okay?"

"I will be. Sophie's gonna train me to be strong so I can protect everyone!"

"I'll bet you'll be the strongest!"

"Yes I will!" Luka giggled.

"You're so cute when you laugh!"

"Thank you, sissy!"

"He seems fine, just not used to being treated with loving care, yes?"

Luka frowned at Penelope's comment. "I'm not going to be your promotion."

"Oh you will be, but I'll be nice for now."

"No." The boy crossed his arms over his chest and pouted. Hey, if the moe act can work once, why not again?

"Stop with the adorable faces!"

Luka tilted his head a little. "Huh?"

"Uhh, want to go back outside?"

"I need my crutches if we're going outside..."

"No you don't."

Luka yelped as the female reaper scooped him up.

"Hey reaper, can you train Luka for a while? I'm going to go to the hunter headquarters." Sophia frowned.

Penelope grinned at the thought. "No problem! We're gonna have fun, aren't we, Luka?"

"Put me down! I can walk on my own!" the boy in question pouted.

Queen Victoria chuckled at the exchange. "Haven't seen you in a while, Penelope. How are you doing?"

"Much better now that I can show him how much he's _no longer a promotion._"

Victoria laughed. "Is he still going on about that?"

"Yes... Oh yes he is!"

"Promise I'm not a promotion?"

"Nope. You're not a promotion." There was an implied 'yet' at the end of the female reaper's statement, but the boy probably didn't catch onto it.

"Okay, Penny!"

"Just call me Pen." Penelope smiled. "Now what do you want to do?"

"Well Sophie said that I'm supposed to be training."

"It'll be hard to train with your leg like that."

"Sophie said we were going to be careful."

"Okay then." Pen pulled out her umbrella-scythe and held it carefully where Luka could see it. The boy eyed it warily but said nothing. "I'm not going to hurt you. Sophia never said anything about what kind of training, did she?

"Well, no..."

"Exactly, so I'm gonna teach you how to avoid other reapers that aren't as nice as me." She paused for a moment. "Did you hear that?"

"Hear what?"

"Nothing yet. Anyway, your first lesson iiis...making sure that you know who's in the area." Pen opened a random door only to find that it was a linen closet.

"Do you need a towel, Pen?"

"Nope." Pen opened another door and found a bathroom.

"Do you have to use the bathroom?"

"Did that earlier, and there's no way I would bring you in there with you if I did."

"Maybe it came from that room," Luka pointed at a door across the hall.

"Hey, you're catching on. Here we go then...ready?"

Luka nodded and watched Pen reach for the door handle. The female reaper quickly peered in...and then got out of there twice as fast. "Good pick, Luka..."

_=Queen, Sebastian= _

"Hey, has Connie shown you the present I got her?" Queen Victoria asked Sebastian.

"No. What is it?"

"Well, let me say that his name's Mr. Fluffy!"

_=Saffi, Sophia= _

"Bye Claude!"

"That was really sickening, you know," Sophia huffed at Saffi.

"I know it was...but it was tasty... Y'know, I'm still not satisfied." The blue-haired girl licked the last of the blood off of her mouth and darted to Sophia's side.

"Sure."

"Now, I haven't eaten in ages, if you don't count my last meal, and I'm still hungry... Please? I'll be gentle." Saffi watched the demon hunter with puppy-dog eyes.

"Fine, emphasis on gentle."

"Teh. I don't like being gentle, but if you say so..." Saffi scowled at Sophia's shirt's collar. "I'd prefer to undress you first..."

Sophia wordlessly unbuttoned her collar in response.

"Thanks..." Saffi bit her neck with the least amount of pain she could manage and fed. Sophia still winced at the bite but didn't struggle. Once she was full and sealed the wound, the blue-haired girl looked up at the demon hunter. "Do you find it disgusting?"

"Yes, because I find that a girl doing this to another is very uncomfortable."

"Well for a start, this isn't sexual... I could take form your wrist next time if it discomforts you that much. And another thing: I think I'm one hundred percent straight... Why, are you not or something?"

Sophia huffed, "I am straight, and the wrist would be better. I have to fight the urge to attack you when you feed from my neck. Instinct, you know."

"Well that's good...I know the feeling. Once had a young spoilt kiddie make a contract with me; his blood in exchange for love. I killed him in the first week..."

"Well its good that I refuse to fall in love then, isn't it?"

"...So true..."

"Do you want some more of my blood, or are you feeling all right?"

"No thank you," Sophia shook her head. "I am going to make a habit of not drinking too much of that."

"It won't turn you or kill you, so you can make a habit of it if you like, as I am going to make a habit of drinking either your or Claude's blood. So, can you come with me to see Ivan and tell him that the hunting is cancelled? He'll understand if it is, I know it..."

"I don't want to make it a habit; I am afraid I will lose my humanity, which I try to protect. And sure."

"You won't though! Come on, I'm doing this for the better of you... You think I'm going to turn you? Well, it can only be done if you bite me, which I don't want, and I'm not that cruel... Here," Saffi ran a fingernail across her palm to open up an old scar, then offered the blood to Sophia. "Drink."

Sophia did so.

"Thanks. Not too bad now, is it? Although I've got you feeding from me like a dog..."

"Go to hell."

"But I feel like I'm already there..." Saffi took her hand away and flicked it, sending blood everywhere. "Euggh..."

"I am not doing anymore, do you hear?"

Saffi's eyes widened in sadistic disbelief. "I'll force it down your throat if it makes you stay alive; ah, you're funny..."

"I am serious; I will just spit it out. I want to fight my own battles."

"Then I should've let you bleed to death when that demon attacked you."

"I am no slave to you, and you don't control me. If I die in battle then I die, but at least I went as a human and not a blood-crazed one."

"Trust me, you won't become a vampire," Saffi yawned out of boredom, then curled up on the counter and closed her eyes.

"I know that."

_=Connie Queen, Sebastian= _

"Hello, dear."

Connie turned and smiled when she saw Sebastian. "Hi daddy!"

"So have you and Mr. Fluffy been having fun?" The demonic butler looked at the tiny dog in his daughter's arms.

"Yup!"

Queen Victoria smiled as she joined the little group.

"Daddy, look at the new puppy the Queen got me!"

"No dogs; you know the rules."

"Rules?" Connie asked.

"Yes, rules."

"Now, she really wanted a dog. How could you deny her like that?" Victoria cut in when she saw that Connie was about to cry. "Plus, it's rude to not accept a gift, right?"

Sebastian gave her a look that clearly said 'I hate you.'

"I know, but a gift is a gift. You don't want to offend me, right?"

Elora walked over and stooped until she was at Connie's level. "What he means is he wants a cat."

"But... But..."

"Don't worry, we can keep it in secret just in case he says no."

"Okay."

"She isn't having a dog," Sebastian frowned even more. "Go put it back where you found it, Connie."

The demonic butler's daughter hung her head and gave Mr. Fluffy back to the Queen.

"It's okay, sweetie, don't cry." Elora carefully reached out and smoothed her hair a little before hugging her.

"She will one way or another...are you jealous that I didn't buy you a cat?" The Queen huffed.

"At least cats are cleaner."

"At least dogs are loyal. Cats won't protect you like dogs will. You want to protect Connie, right? Then you need a dog."

"...Fine, she can keep it."

"Really?" Connie smiled a little.

"Yes."

"Thank you, daddy!"

"You're welcome."

"And just to make you feel better, I will get you two kittens. Now you love me?"

The demonic butler sighed. "Yes."

"Now Connie and I can take Mr. Fluffy on his walk and get you your kittens."

Connie nodded excitedly and walked outside with the Queen, helping her pick out two little back kittens with white paws.

"Now that that's done, we can to the park and let Mr. Fluffy run around!"

"Yay!"

"And here we are!" Queen Victoria walked into the park with the kittens, the dog, and Connie in tow, reminding Connie to "Be careful!" as she ran around with Mr. Fluffy.

"Okie dokie!"

The Queen smiled as she pet the kittens, one of them purring happily, and listened to Connie as she started to sing as she played. The girl was actually pretty good and reminded the monarch of her own mother's singing. That is, until Connie suddenly tripped and started crying. The Queen quickly ran over and picked Connie up, taking her to a nearby bench before setting her down and cleaning her up. "There you go, my dear. Are you all right?"

"I hurt my knee," Connie sniffled.

"Here, let me bandage that... There, all better. Do you want to head home now? You can give Sebastian his new kittens!"

Connie nodded, so the Queen took her and Mr. Fluffy back home.

[Roleplayer Credits]

CBI writer

Fluffy-Little-MLH

Lady Mizu

Magdalena Saffi-Ann Way-Iero

SebbyXCiel4eternity

SnowWoman

SteelPorcelainMXIV


	22. I - 12

**Warnings, Disclaimers, **and _Special Notes_ \- refer to those at the top of Chapter 1.

* * *

_=Connie, Queen, Sebastian=_

"Daddy, do you want to pet Mr. Fluffy?" Connie asked Sebastian when she came back.

"Sure." the demonic butler reached down and petted the dog's head.

Connie smiled a little.

"She fell and scraped her knee, but she has your new kittens!" Queen Victoria smiled.

"Kittens? Yay~" Sebastian blushed slightly and smiled as he looked at the black and white cats in Connie's arms. "Is Connie all right?"

"Yes, I put a bandage on her knee." The Queen laughed. "Watching you wiht kittens; no one would ever think of you as a demon."

Sebastian nodded.

"Do you like them?" Connie asked.

"I do. Does your knee feel better?"

It still hurts." But Connie ended up giggling as the demonic butler stooped down to her level and kissed her knee better, then ruffled her hair. "Can I have food?"

Sebastian nodded and quickly heated some chicken nuggets. "Here we go."

"Thank you!"

"You're welcome."

"Ice cream next?"

"Here, " the demonic butler gave her a bowl of ice cream when she was finished with dinner and looked on as she happily ate it.

"Thank you!"

_=Pen, Queen=_

"Hello, Penelope. What are you doing?"

"I...uh..." the reaper in question nervously glanced at the door she'd just closed.

"What? Did you see something?"

Pen's face reddened as she thought of how she'd nearly walked in on Sebastian and some girl...yeah... "You could say that..."

"You're blushing. Is it something bad?"

Pen ran to the bathroom and locked herself in in embarrassment. Yaoi was one thing, but that was completely different.

Needless to say, Queen Victoria decided not to go into the room.

_=Saffi, Sebastian=_

"Demons can feel lust, right?" Saffi asked Sebastian as she thought of Claude and something that Ciel's demonic butler had said earlier.

"Yes."

"Well that's a good thing..." the blue-haired girl smirked.

_=Connie, Queen, Sebastian=_

"Would you like anything?" Sebastian asked Queen Victoria when she entered one of the larger dining rooms.

"Tea please, if it's not any trouble."

The tea was quickly prepared, and the perfect temperature. "Here we go your majesty."

"Thank you!" She then caught sight of Connie with a bowl of ice cream. "Do you like ice cream?"

Connie nodded, getting ice cream all over her face in the process, and the Queen smiled in response.

"Such a messy child." Sebastian sighed.

"I can't help it." Connie sighed before wandering off.

The Queen followed. "Hey, you've still got something on your face," she commented as she wiped Connie's mouth clean.

"Oh, thank you."

"You're welcome, dear. What are you doing?"

Connie shrugged.

"Is there anything you would like to do then?"

Let's walk around?"

"Okay!"

_=Saffi, Sophia= _

Saffi woke up, rubbing her head as she commented a little about a weird dream she had, then got a glass of water.

"I want to end the contract with you. Or do I have a choice about that?" Sophia asked suddenly.

"It's my choice... If that's the way you feel, then it's telling me something... I won't take your blood, or force you to do anything - you're amusing when you like me more - so no, I'll be nicer...less sarcastic and demonic."

"I honestly don't know why you find me so amusing,"

"Meh, it's because you fight and are ruthless, unstoppable, and deadly!"

_=Elora=_

Elora woke up about two hours later. "Ugh, that's right, I..." she stayed unusually silent as she dressed and made her way to her waterfalls.

_=Annabelle, Saffi=_

_ "Is this the house that the Yard wanted me to invetigate?"_ Annabelle thought to herself as she knocked on the large front door of the Phantomhive manor.

Her greeter came from behind her, however.

"ROAR!" Saffi yelled as she jumped out of a bush behind Annabelle and flashed her fangs. "Hey, are you new here, or an investigator?"

"Hello there miss. Is this the Phantimhive manor?"

Saffi twitched in annoyance because the woman wasn't scared at all, and didn't answer her first question. "Yes it most certainly is... I am your vampire tour guide... So which one are you, an investigator, a new resident, or even a visitor? My name's Saffi - and you are?"

"I am an investigator, but fortunately I don't work for the Yard. I swear that they have to do everything by the book, and for gott's sake they probably even have a book," Annabelle smiled weakly and chuckled a little as she tweaked at her black bangs. "Public investigator A. Twiler at your service."

"Another hater of the Yard, eh?" Saffi grinned in approval. "So are you going to come in or what?"

Annabelle wrinkled her nose but was happy that the blue-haired vampire had let her in - it was starting to rain heavily. "Well not quite, they just...don't approve of my methods. And thanks for letting me inside."

"I couldn't leave one outside on their own in the rain, could I?!" Saffi flashed a toothy smile, "and anyway, you have a job to do... Most of the residents of this manor are out on business at the moment though... They left little eleven-year-old - well, one-hundred-and-fourteen-year-old - on my own...oh well... I know what you mean when you say they don't approve of your methods; some people don't approve of mine when I feed. Well, I don't want to scare you, so let's not talk about that right now..." the blue-haired girl winked as she guided her guest into a spacious room. "This is one of the thirty-two bedrooms that the manor has to offer~" she noticed some blood on the floor of another part of the room and moved to conceal it, "ignore that, please."

Annabelle shook her head, coughing a little. She felt like she already had a bit of a cold. "I only worry for whoever has to clean it up before Lord Phantomhive returns. And don't worry about your age, I am quite young myself."

"Want some medicine for your cough? I found some in the kitchen that Ciel wouldn't mind you taking. And you're young too? That's good to hear - there aren't many younger ones here. There's me, you, and Luka now...well if I still count as young..."

"This room is beautiful..." Annabelle gasped as she realized they'd somehow ended up walking into a large and spotless dining hall.

"Okaay, so maybe it is, but I don't usually stare at thinks like this soo..." Not paying attentikon, Saffi accidentally pulled Annabelle into her room, which has dried and somewhat damp blood everywhere. "Oops..."

"Uhh, where are we going?" the investigator asked as she was dragged up another corridor and away from the blood-covered room. "I'm sure I have seen all I need to but I'll just make an excuse to the Yard since they're gullible enough to believe me..."

"What does that mean?"

"Typically, that means I lie to them and they believe me...hopefully. I just hate intruding."

"Well it was me who got all of that blood everywhere... Sorry about that, but you seem completely unfazed by it!"

"That is because I am already familiar with the supernatural."

* * *

[Roleplayer Credits]

CBI Writer

Lady Mizu

Magdalena Saffi-Ann Way-Iero

SebbyXCiel4eternity

Silver Imber

SteelPorcelainMXIV


	23. I - 13

**Warnings, Disclaimers, **and _Special Notes_ \- refer to those at the top of Chapter 1.

* * *

_=Cheryl, Sebastian=_

Cheryl was perched in a random tree when she saw Sebastian.

"Hey."

"Hi."

"Cheryl, I want to tell you something."

"What is it?"

"Elora is going to be a part of our family for a while. It's official."

"How come?"

"She just is; end of discussion."

Cheryl looked away, not sure what to think of her father's abruptness. "Fine."

"Fine."

Still carefully concealing her emotions, Cheryl made her way to an abandoned house and slowly opened the door until the bloodstains on the floor were revealed. Her bloodstains, from the day she'd sacrificed herself for her parents and doomed herself to a reincarnation as a human with a terrible life. "Why..." she slowly sank to her knees, holding her head in her hands, "why must I go through...being reborn..."

Once he realized where she'd gone Sebastian quickly ran to her. "Cheryl, are you all right?!"

" Go...Go away...please...don't...kill them... Don't kill my parents!" The demonic butler's daughter didn't hear him, as she was stuck in an almost trancelike state even as she clawed at herself.

"Don't worry, nobody will kill me and Ciel, I promise you that."

Cheryl managed to snap out of it, panting as she shakily put a hand to her throat. "It's not that...I...can't tell you how it happened...but I can show you."

"Show me then."

The girl nodded and took the demonic butler's hand.

_Sebastian and Ciel, injured and covered in blood, watched a younger version of Cheryl that stood in front of them, panting, with cuts all over her. "Don't kill them!"_

_ The man that had subjected the little family to such suffering laughed evilly. "I'll spare them, heal their injuries and will not try to kill them...if you sacrifice yourself. Once you die, you will be returned to your parents, but you will be reborn as a human and forced to live a terrible life."_

_ "Sweetie! Don't!" Ciel shouted, but Cheryl ignored him."_

_ "I'll do it."_

"Cheryl..." Sebastian managed, but he was unable to stop the memories of a brunette girl with brown eyes being forced into slavery and whipped, begging on the streets, finally being hired as a maid only for her employer to be killed, and eventually killing herself after the destruction of her husband and two small children.

A single tear rolled down Cheryl's cheek, but she showed no other reaction.

"You have lived such a miserable human life."

"That's what I get when I protect my family. Some stupid torture..." Cheryl kicked at a random stone.

"You don't deserve to go that far, we are the adults and we deserve to protect you."

"But sometimes the adults can't do anything so the kids have to do whatever it takes to protect them. You and mom saved me countless times in the future so I'm just returning the favor."

"I am still sorry that this had to happen to you."

"What's done is done. Besides, I made that decision. Not you, not mom, no one but me, so there's no reason to say that you're sorry."

"You're probably the best daughter in the world, you know that?"

"I doubt that even though you're one hell of a demon," Cheyl grinned.

"Come on, I want to treat you to something."

"Treat me to what?"

Anything you want."

Cheryl thought for a moment. "Come on. I want to show you something."

...

Sebastian followed Cheryl as she walked to a stone archway and moved through the vines hanging down over it. "So what did you want to show me?"

His daughter didn't need to answer. Not far from the arch was a lake with brightly glowing forms drifting with the gentle air currents - souls. Some had even taken their human forms in order to more fully enjoy activities, such as dancing and smelling the flowers that grew along the banks of the pond.

"Wow."

"I know," Cheryl plucked a rose and sniffed it, smiling. "I found this a little while back. I've also recently realized that the lake water has healing abilities for demons, even those with fatal injuries. I got into a nasty situation with another demon not too long ago and I ran here without realizing it, then jumped into the lake only to discover that I was completely healed."

"I see. That is handy."

The demonic butler's daughter nodded happily, then turned to speak to one of the souls. It nodded when she was finished and called another soul. Then both souls turned into pure white globes of energy, which Cheryl easily took in her hands. "Here."

Sebastian took the offered soul and ate it.

"And here's an extra, just in case." Cheryl gave the other soul to her father while trying to think of more things to do. "I'm going to take a run," she finally decided and started to stretch. "You can come with me if you want to."

Sebastian nodded and easily kept pace with his daughter as they ran around the lake and into the trees surrounding it.

"I like doing this. Helps me a lot sometimes." Cheryl grinned as she leapt over tree trunks, then darted under a low-hanging branch as fast as lightning.

Sebastian could see why. Running for fun was actually very satisfying.

_=Hannah, Luka, Sophia=_

"Hey kid, how'd training with Penelope go?"

Luka looked up and hobbled unsteadily over to Sophia. "All she did was carry me around and look at rooms."

"Do you want to get some real training in then?"

Luka nodded enthusiastically, then saw Hannah. "Hannah! Your arms are getting better!" Luka giggled when he noticed the demoness admiring the new stumps on her shoulders.

"Hello Luka! It seems they are!"

"Yay!"

"Okay," Sophia paused as she laid out some weapons, "Choose a weapon then."

"..."

"It's okay, I'll make sure that you won't get hurt."

Hannah glared at the weapons. "Do you really want to do this for a living?"

"I want to be able to protect myself and you too, Hannah..."

The demoness sighed. "Well, let's hope that you get taught to protect me then, not...anything else..."

"I will protect you, Hannah!" Luka picked up a small dagger and held it up proudly, giving the demoness a big smile.

Sophia caught the glance that Hannah shot at her. "What's wrong, demon? You're not going to get in the way of what Luka wants, right?"

"No. If he wants you to, you can teach him..."

Sophia nodded and turned back to Luka, showing him how to properly hold the dagger. "There we go. Now we need a target."

"Target?" the boy asked.

"Yes, a target. Soemthing or someone you can practice on."

"...Okay, as long as no one gets hurt."

Hannah frowned. "You're not using me."

"Why not?" Sophia asked. "You can heal faster than I can. But if you still don't want to you could summon another demon."

"..."

Luka broke the silence. "Promise you will heal really fast, Hannah?"

"I guess I will...because when my arms heal, I'll be able to hug you again!"

_=Saffi, Sophia=_

"Hi."

"Hey Sophia... Meh..."

"What's wrong then?" Sophia asked the blue-haired vampire.

"You know I get in a bad mood when hungry... What's up with you then?"

"I don't know, I'm bored now."

"So am I." Saffi looked around before randomly springing onto the wall and using her nails to climb along it and the ceiling like a spider.

The demon hunter sighed and pulled up her sleeve. "Here, if you're still hungry."

"Well that's not a bad idea... I made a promise, and I'm keeping it. And yes, I'm hungry, but by any chance, would you be feeding me because you need something to do?"

Sophia watched Saffi land on her feet and eye her arm like the offer was roo good to be true. "I'm doing this because I will need your help in a fight today. I don't want you getting hungry in the middle of it."

"A fight? I'm interested," the blue-haired vampire grinned before grabbing the offered arm and biting it.

"This one's going to be tough. I was thinking about who has the highest status among the demons here, and concluded that would be Sebastian. If I get rid of him, then everyone will know that I am serious."

Saffi finished her snack and cleaned the wound with her tongue. "I see... Yes, we have a tough one here..."

_=Luka, Sebastian=_

"Hello, Luka. Why do you have a dagger?" Sebastian asked the boy.

"Hi, mister butler, Sophie gave it to me. I'm gonna train so I can be strong and protect Hannah!"

"You know that Hannah can defend herself."

"I know that! She's the strongest demon there is!" Luka smiled, oblivious to the fact that Sebastian was a demon as well.

The demonic butler had no problem not correcting him. "Exactly, so you shouldn't be trying to protect her. She can look after herself."

"But her arms-"

"Will heal, unlike any injuries you sustain." The demonic butler watched Luka look down at his broken leg. "You wouldn't want to get further injuries, would you?"

"Well...no I don't..."

_=Cheryl, Luka=_

"Hi Luka," Cheryl smiled.

Luka smiled back. "Hi Cher!"

"Training to be a fighter, eh?" She ruffled his hair, making him giggle.

"Yup!"

"And how's Hannah?"

"Her arms are growing back!"

Cheryl smiled. "Tell her that I hope she'll recover fully."

"I will!"

"And be good to her, okay?"

"I will too! She brought me back so I'll always love my Hannah!"

"She's yours, eh?"

"Yes?" Luka looked at Cheryl, confused, but she only quirked her eyebrows.

"Looks like we got a Mr. Possessive here," she teased.

"But Hannah is my family now..."

"I know that, sweetie."

* * *

[Roleplayer Credits]

CBI Writer

Fluffy-Little-MLH

Karshiva

Magdalena Saffi-Ann Way-Iero


	24. I - 14

**Warnings, Disclaimers, **and _Special Notes_ \- refer to those at the top of Chapter 1.

* * *

_=Cheryl, Luka=_

"Luka, want a ride on my back?" Cheryl grinned and turned into a nine-tailed fox when she caught sight of the young boy.

"Yes! But I'll need help getting on and off."

"Piece of cake." Hop aboard after I'm low enough for you." Cheryl grinned as Luka managed to scramble onto her broad but muscular back, then stood up. "Off we go!"

The boy had to grab her fur to keep from falling off even though they were only moving at a moderate pace.

"Want me to go slower?"

"No, this is fun! Your fur is soft."

"Thank you."

_=Cheryl, Elora, Sebastian=_

Elora was sitting by her waterfalls trying to think through some of her more recent decisions, but finally gave up and began to dance her problems away in the water.

"Hello."

The blind woman paused at the familiar voice of a certain demonic butler - of course he'd eventually come to find her. "Hey... How're you doing?"

"I'm all right. How're you?"

Not able to face him at this point, Elora wandered behind one of the waterfalls. "The consequences of my actions are really starting to sink in... Have I officially lost my pure soul and become rotten?"

"No, you still have your pure soul, I know that for a fact. If you had become rotten, then Dante would have probably killed me by now. As for falling, you have already landed."

"Why would Dante have killed you?"

"Because if your soul was rotten he'd probably try to take it away and I would intervene. That would deem me as a threat and he would kill me, as demons are the most vicious when they are hungry."

Elora shivered. "I'd hate to see you when you're hungry... You are the stronger and older demon."

"I am, but when it comes to hunger you'd be surprised at what demons can do. I've seen a few that killed their own kin in order to get a desirable soul."

Cheryl, who was still in her animal form, had found her father not much earlier and was sitting quietly in a corner of the cave until the conversation started to sound a little more personal than what she was comfortable with. "Hey." she said as she rose and shifted a little.

This new voice, which Elora now knew to belong to Cheryl, accompanied the sound of claws clicking on stone. Cheryl was most likely in her animal form - the clicks were about the same distance away as her voice was.

Elora cocked her eyebrows in Cheryl's direction. "You're a fox?" she hazarded. "Are you sure you're Sebastian's kid? He's a crow demon..."

"Each demon a different animal form."

"I know that but don't the laws of heredity work in your world? How're we supposed to know whose kid is whose if you're the daughter of Sebastian but look like someone else's kid?"

"Being related to dad doesn't mean I have the same animal form as dad or mom. I mean dad's a crow - or raven - and mom's a...cat."

"Uggh, my head hurts from trying to comprehend this," Elora rubbed her temples in exasperation.

"Just remember that demons have different animal forms. End of story."

"And Sebastian, is it true that demons steal souls through kisses?" Elora asked as soon as she was sure that Cheryl had left, nervously licked her lips.

The demonic butler actually seemed shocked for a moment, as he didn't reply immediately. "Where did you hear that?"

"Dante. He told me - said it was for my own good to know that's how you check a soul so you know when to devour it." It may be in her best interest to lie a little.

"Yes, that's truly how we take souls away."

"So am I never going to know when you're going to take my soul? You could've stole it a hundred times last night...right under my nose..."

"That would have ruined the moment, wouldn't it? If I took it yesterday. But I can tell you when that day comes if you wish."

This time Elora gently rested a hand on her lips. "Thanks. I'd like to be prepared when the time comes. Now, if you'd excuse me... I'm going to dry off and then drown my troubles in some of your five-star cooking." And with a small grin, she ran off.

_=Luka, Sophia=_

"Hi Luka, want to go somewhere?" Sophia asked.

"Sure, Sophie!" was the enthusiastic reply. Luka followed the demon hunter as she wordlessly turned around and led him to a clearing in the forest, where a basket and blanket were waiting for them. As soon as the picnic blanket was spread out the boy collapsed onto it, obviously glad to finally be off of his feet.

"It's nice doing something normal for a change."

"It is! And it's nice today too!" Luka smiled, but quickly grew nervous as Sophia shushed him and moved so she could protect him.

"I thought I heard something."

There was silence for a few minutes before a voice came from a cluster of bushes nearby. "What a delightful scent coming from that boy! Boy, I don't suppose you want to come over here?"

Said boy shook his head.

"Stay away from him." Sophia didn't' even wait for a reply - she simply charged into the bushes and beat the demon up then and there, not caring if Luka chose to watch or not. "Are you okay?" she asked when she finally emerged.

"I'm okay... Are you?"

"I'm all right. I have faced demons that were tougher than him. Shall we continue with out picnic then?"

Luka looked around nervously. "What if he comes back?"

"Then I will beat him up again; don't forget that I'm a demon hunter, Luka."

"Okay, if you think it's safe now."

"It's safe, don't worry."

The boy slowly relaxed and started to smile again. "Okay."

"You're not scared still, are you kid?"

* * *

[Roleplayer Credits]

CBI writer

Fluffy-Little-MLH

Karshiva


End file.
